The Light in the Darkness
by Emque
Summary: Milly was nervous and so was her family for they all were going to attend the Emperor's six-month victory celebration ball and their presence had been personally requested by the Emperor himself, but they all knew that when the Demon Emperor requested something it was not actually a request. AU no Zero Requiem.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N Hello all this is my first ever attempt at writing a fanfiction. This story is set an alternate universe where there was no zero requiem. This will be mainly a Lelouch Milly story but there will defiantly be more pairings. This will be mini-series type of thing with more than one chapters. So enjoy the story and please leave a review.**

 **Disclaimer: Code Geass and its characters Do Not belong to me.**

 **Chapter 1:**

Milly Ashford, Ashford Academy graduate and current News Reporter walked nervously with her parents and grandfather, recently reinstated Lord Ruben Ashford, and her former student council member and current cameraman Rivalz trailed behind them pushing he trolley carrying their luggage through the newly constructed and not yet finished Neo Pendragon airport. Milly was not the only one who was nervous, though he had put on a blank poker face she could tell that her grandfather too was nervous. Her parents were although brimming with excitement, but she could practically see the anxiety on their faces as well. For they all were going to attend the Emperor's six-month victory celebration ball and their presence had been personally _requested_ by the Emperor himself, but they all knew that when the Demon Emperor _requested_ something itwas not actually a request. Hence the reason for all their nervousness.

Sure, many noble families in the Imperial colony of Japan had gotten the invitation to the ball but those invitations had not included a personal letter from the emperor himself _requesting_ their attendance, Milly was sure of this as she had contacted some of her old noble friends from school to confirm. Her parents were excited as they saw this as a chance to rise up in the ranks in the current world order while she and her grandfather were nervous because they had been singled out by the emperor. Poor Rivalz was here as a favor to her and as her plus one guest to the ball. Milly was still in deep thought when she heard a gasp from her parents and Rivalz.

They had arrived at the section of the airport where they were told, in their invitation that, someone would be there to receive them. She had been expecting a typical driver waiting for them to escort them to the palace where they would be staying for the duration of the celebration, another honor few families were getting as her mother had gleefully pointed out after they had gotten the invitation. What she was not expecting was the second most powerful man in the world, the white reaper to the demon emperor, the powerful and feared Knight of Zero, Suzaku Kururugi, standing there dressed in immaculate robes and clothes with another man holding a board with the words "Ashford Family" on it.

Clearly, she was not the only one who had shocked, everyone coming out of the arrivals gate had stopped to stare at the Knight of Zero, a Knight of Round above all other Rounds, in shocked fear and awe, this also included her family, while everyone else already present was giving him a wide berth. Rivalz, who had once proudly declared Suzaku his second-best friend, was now completely white as a sheet and was slightly leaning on the trolley. Milly was the first one to break out of her stupor and started walking towards the Knight. Milly's movement broke the dam and everyone else also started to move. Milly however was not the first to reach the knight, it was her mother who with a sudden burst of energy had overtaken Milly and was now curtsying slightly and saying:

"Lord Kururugi". It was an odd sight as Milly had never thought she would see her proud mother curtsy to someone who was not Britanian. The world certainly had changed. The Knight nodded with a curt "Lady Ashford".

"Lords and Ladies Ashford, I welcome you to Neo Pendragon. Please follow me." With that he turned and started walking leaving them to catch up to him. Milly did notice that the Knight had completely ignored Rivalz. They followed the Knight of Zero outside the airport where there were two cars were waiting for them. Milly, her family and Rivalz moved to sit in one car while the man who had been holding the board had taken the luggage from Rivalz and was putting it in the trunks of the car with the help of the drivers of the cars. However, before Milly could sit in the car the Knight of Zero called out "Lady Milly you will join me in the other car." It was an order and she instinctively moved to follow it and Rivalz in a moment of bravery followed her. Her grandfather gave her worried glance while her mother's look told her not to mess anything up. Inside the car, there were seats facing each other, she and Rivalz sat one side while the Knight took the seat facing them.

Soon the car started to move and the tension in the car was palpable that is until the Knight decided to speak and Milly noticed that it was not with the same authoritative voice he had used but with the voice of Suzaku she had known in school.

"So… How have you two been?" He asked casually as though they were still in school and their classes had just ended and not if as the second most powerful man in the world had just addressed lower nobility and a commoner. Rivalz blanched while Milly raised an eyebrow in surprise. Milly also noted by looking outside the window that apparently, they were disregarding traffic light, though she quickly realized that apparently a path had been cleared for them straight from the airport to the New Imperial Palace. The benefit of being the Knight of Zero.

"Yeah I know. Stupid question but still?" Suzaku continued. They both gave a "Fine, my lord" hers in a calm practiced voice while Rivalz was a little choked. Suzaku sighed.

"I was hoping this would be a little less awkward but as Lelouch likes to not everything goes as you hope it would, though he has a habit of making hundreds of contingencies…"

Both Milly and Rivalz had stiffened at the casual reference of Lelouch. Nobody did that anymore. These days it was always said with reverence and fear in public while with hate disdain and yes fear with in private. Suzaku sighed again.

"I can see that small talk would get us nowhere, so I will move straight to the point." Suzaku took a deep breath and continued "I was hoping that when I said that Milly come with me in this car she would be alone but it's fine." But while he said the he gave a commanding look to Rivalz that clearly said he should remain silent and not interfere, thus again stepping into Knight of Zero.

"Milly, Lelouch is going to make a request of you and yes it will be a request not an order by the emperor and I have no doubt he will explain to you that you can refuse this request." Suzaku said. "In fact, I am certain he will try his best to convince you not to accept his request." At this Suzaku paused as if wondering how to say the next part he had to say. This gave Milly a chance to think. A request from Lelouch, and Lelouch not His Majesty, what would the ruler of the entire world want from her, a News Reporter. A year ago, she would have gladly accepted any request Lelouch made of her, without question, but back then had had been just Lelouch Lamperouge not Lelouch vi Britannia.

"I want you to accept his request." Suzaku finally spoke plainly.

She looked at Rivalz, he looked just as confused and clearly wanted to voice his confusion, but the Knight of Zero's fear was keeping was keeping him quiet. Milly then realized that along with all the other members of past student council Rivalz had also changed. This caused anger to rise up in her, anger directed at Suzaku and at Lelouch. Their actions had caused so much damage. Damage to the world to countless lives and worse in her opinion to those they had called. Shirley had died, Kallen was most likely in prison being a key opponent to Lelouch during the battle over Mt. Fuji and Nina had been captured and never to been heard from again, captured by Lloyd of all people according to Rivalz, during the momentous meeting between Lelouch and UFN. And now Rivalz, cheerful and happy go lucky Rivalz was sitting subdued in fear. No, she would not accept any request if she had any choice. But she was also curios, so she asked:

"What _is_ the request?" she asked with venom in her voice and realizing that she had barely spoken since she had gotten off the plane and she knew Suzaku could tell from her tone she was going to reject.

"I can't tell you that." Suzaku said "And before you ask it is because he ordered me not to." He paused again before speaking up again, this time she noticed there was pleading in voice "Please. he needs it. Please at least consider it before you reject outright. I am not ordering it as the Knight of Zero loyal knight of Lelouch vi Britannia, I am not asking it as Suzaku Kururugi, your former friend. I am asking as Suzaku Lelouch's best friend, one of the few friends he has left. So please at least hear him out…"

This gave her pause, she looked over and saw that Rivalz had his mouth open in shock. Never had either of them heard Suzaku talk like this. Suzaku the second most powerful man in the world, the white reaper to the demon emperor, the powerful and feared Knight of Zero was basically begging her. And small part of her was moved and her anger dissipated. Milly would at least hear what Lelouch had to say.

Milly nodded and Suzaku looked so relieved that she thought he might actually cry. But then the car stopped, and the door opened and Suzaku disappeared and Knight of Zero reappeared. They had arrived at the palace. Its construction had recently been completed and it was a near replica of the palace that had been destroyed. She was still staring at the grandeur of the building when she heard a familiar voice.

"…luggage will be sent to your assigned quarters, so if you would all follow me". It was Sayoko, her former maid talking to her family. She smiled at Milly and began to walk forwards and motioning respectfully for them to follow. They did, along with Suzaku who was talking with Sayoko. Apparently, a general Patterson had returned and wished to report in with Suzaku and His Majesty. While walking through the palace they reached the throne room and Milly could see sitting on the impressive throne with the lazy bored smirk he had, while still being her Vice-president, was Lelouch vi Britannia, emperor of the 99th Holy Britanian and ruler of the world.

 **That's it for this chapter.**

 **In this story there was no zero requiem. Lelouch and Suzaku decided to take over the world after defeating Charles in C's world and try to make it better by force** **. However they reached an obstacle thus the request which you will read about in the next chapter, hopefully.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N**

 **First of thanks for all the reviews favs and follows. It means a lot to mean and is what kept me going.**

 **Second, I apologize for the lack of descriptions like of clothes places and the general environment in this story. Descriptions have never been my strong suit though I am trying my best to improve.**

 **So please enjoy the story and please leave a review**

 **Disclaimer: Code Geass and its characters Do Not belong to me.**

 **Chapter 2:**

Lelouch looked both similar and different at the same time. He was still the handsome Lelouch he always had been but there was something different about him and Milly could not even explain it herself, perhaps it was because she had not seen him in months. Oh, sure she had seen him on T.V many times after he had become emperor. She even had thought about asking her producer to let her petition for an interview with the emperor but had thought better of it. But seeing him in person, even when he was sitting on a throne, there was something that was playing havoc with her instincts. She wanted to both slap him and hug him. She knew that the thought was silly, but she had missed seeing him almost daily for almost a decade. So instead of doing either she did what everyone else had done, she went on one knee and knelt before her emperor.

"Rise" the emperor said in an imperial voice that somehow seemed very natural on him. They all rose.

"Welcome lords and ladies Ashford and Mr. Cardemonde I hope your journey from the colony was comfortable." They all gave a "Yes your majesty." Milly finally looked around the throne room and saw that there were guards, standing perfectly still and at attention, on both sides of the throne room wearing the same outfit that she had seen Lelouch's guards wear on television. During her perusal of the throne room and the guards Suzaku had apparently walked up the dais on which the emperors throne was and was now standing to Lelouch's right while on his left (she had missed him as Milly had been too focused on Lelouch) stood Jeremiah Gottwald, the Orange Knight the recently appointed Knight of One. They said aside form the Knight of Zero there was no one more loyal to the emperor than the Orange Knight. Indeed, as a testament to his loyalty to the 99th emperor the Orange Knight had taken up the words "Loyalty trumps all!" as his new house words.

The emperor continued "Sayoko will lead you all to your quarters, where you all can rest and prepare for tomorrows ball. Lord Ashford" at both her fathers and grandfathers "Yes, your majesty?" the emperor clarified that he meant her grandfather by saying

"Lord Rueben Ashford. Tonight, after you have had a chance to rest I will summon you for dinner with me, there are some things I need to discuss with you."

Her grandfather paused and then nodded solemnly. The emperor then made a gesture and four guards moved from their place and appeared at the side of the arrival party, apparently, they were also meant to their escort along with Sayoko.

As they all began to leave Milly noticed that Suzaku was now talking with the emperor and the Orange knight about a certain general Patterson. While they were talking in hushed tones Milly did manage to catch a few words before the door to the throne room closed. Evidently Patterson was as "competent as you had thought your majesty…" and his next deployment would "really test his skills".

The quarters they had been assigned was a four-bedroom suite along with bathrooms and even a small kitchen with a fully stocked fridge. The suite had more luxury than anyone could imagine or need, though apparently not enough for the guests of the emperor. Suffice to say that Milly's parents were very satisfied. Her grandfather on the other hand was longer actively trying to hide his nervousness, the emperors command to have dinner with him clearly unsettled him, well more unsettled than he had been before. Milly too was worried but her talk with Suzaku and seeing Lelouch again had sent her mind racing. She along with her grandfather had been hoping that when Lelouch had _requested_ their presence at the victory ball, he had wanted to thank them for keeping the Lamperouge siblings hidden but now it was obvious that probably wasn't his only reason for summoning them. The dinner and mysterious request Lelouch was going to make of her was proof of that.

Sayoko pointed out rooms they all had been assigned, one for each of them while her parents would obviously be sharing and left after indicating an electronic bell they ring should they need anything. Milly, tired after the taxing day both mentally and physically (the flight had been a long one given the distance between the imperial colony of Japan and the homeland) decided to go to her bedroom to lie down to help clear her mind and try and sort things out, but before Milly could do so her grandfather asked:

"So, what did the Knight of Zero want from you?" In retrospect Milly should have expected this question.

Rivalz opened her mouth to speak for her and no doubt tell about what Suzaku had talked about, but before he could say anything Milly cut him off by saying

"Nothing, he just wanted to catch up with us. See how we have been doing all this time."

It was not a complete, after all Suzaku had asked how they had been doing. Rivalz gave her a look and she returned his look with a wordless "not now". Her grandfather obviously did not believe her, but he gave her an understanding look and did not push for answers, he certainly had to deal with himself now. Her mother on the other hand clearly had other ideas.

"I hope at least you were respectful to him, the Knight of Zero is a very important man you know and very close to the emperor. Hopefully you did not run your mouth. Do you know…?" Milly tuned her mother out after that. She still remembered what her mother's opinions and thoughts had been when Suzaku had joined the Ashford academy, her mother most certainly had not considered him an _important man_ , quite the opposite in fact. Milly truly did care for her mother but at times she could be a bit too much. So, she waited for her mother to finish talking nodded to whatever her mother had been saying, turned and went to her assigned bedroom and laid down on her bed.

Milly had been lying on the criminally comfortable bed for about an hour still wondering about the mysterious request and worrying about her grandfather's upcoming dinner when she heard a knock on her door. She sat on her bed and on her "come in" Rivalz entered the room. He looked as worn as she felt. He gave a look around the room and took a seat on a nearby sofa.

"So…" He started but Milly cut him off by saying

"I know what you are going to say. I didn't tell them what Suzaku said because I didn't want to add to add to his worries."

This seemed to placate Rivalz. "What do you think the demon emp…"

"Shush!" Milly exclaimed "Do not call him by that here, in _his own_ palace. Do you know how much trouble you will get if one of his followers heard you! It's bad enough to say it back home but to say it in the center of his power!?"

"Geez I get it!" Rivalz said "As I was saying what do you think _his majesties_ request might be?"

"No" Milly replied "No clue and it's been driving me insane. I mean what would the ruler of the world want form me, a low nobility at T.V News reporter? Yes, I have known him since before even he left the homeland in the first place and came to my grandfather for protection after the occupation of Japan. But still it's not he had remained in contact with me. And he completely ignored you when you tried to talk to him."

"Wait! hold up! you _knew_ he was a prince even before… when he was at school with us?" Rivalz asked clearly shocked.

"Yes, like I said I have known him since we were little kids. The Ashford family designed his mother's Knightmare the Ganymede. You know."

"No, I did not know that actually. So, your family gave them protection? Protection from what exactly" Rivalz asked.

"At that time, they were trying to remain hidden from both the Britanian and the Japanese forces. So, my family hid them under false names. Well my grandfather did. My parents I think most likely wanted to wait till his identity got revealed. I believe they thought that as his supporters they might regain their ranks in nobility after his mother died." Milly said, "I believe that's why they were so excited when we received the invitation."

What she did not say, and what Rivalz probably was thinking as well, was that the demon emperor was just as likely to punish them as he was to reward them, hence also the reason for their nervousness. Her parents were afraid that the emperor might remember them trying to convince him to reveal his identity at a time he clearly had not wished to. But apparently their excitement out weighted their fears.

"Well… I think I should probably get something to eat and rest for a while and I think you should do the same. I know you did not get much sleep on the flight." Rivalz said a while, taking the time to digest and process the information she had provided.

"They both sure are not how they were in school, aren't they?" he said before getting up to leave, giving her an odd sad look that would have stuck out on him a few months ago but now was a fairly common occurrence on his face.

Milly also got up to do as he had suggested.

Around dinner time, after Milly had slept for a couple of hours despite her trouble mind due to sheer tiredness, they were visited by the Orange Knight himself, along with half a dozen royal guards. He had come to escort her grandfather to dinner with his majesty.

As soon as they left finely dressed servants, of many different nationalities which was odd Milly noted, piled in an orderly fashion into the suite and set up a full course meal for the reaming party. The food was, as Milly had expected, extremely delicious and so was the dessert. When they were done the servants cleared the dishes and left in the same orderly fashion they had come in. Milly then turned on a T.V to some random channel sat on a sofa and started, along with her parents and Rivalz, to patiently wait for grandfather to return form his dinner with the emperor.

Ruben Ashford returned about a, very tense, hour later with a very strange expression, again escorted by the Orange Knight and the guards who all left as soon as Ruben joined his family. He looked shocked and bewildered and was constantly rubbing his head as if still trying to process something. Her father was the first one to ask what they all had been thinking for as long as he had been gone

"Well, what did his Majesty want with you?"

Milly's grandfather looked at her father for a long while, as though he had not heard him. The longer he stayed quite the more worried Milly became. What news had he been told? Before Milly could repeat her father's question her grandfather spoke up:

"Lelouc… His majesty, the emperor _requested_ that I consider becoming his Prime Minister…" Once again there was complete silence in the room for they all knew when the Demon emperor requested something it was not really a request.

 **End of chapter.**

 **A/N**

 **This in an AU** **where there was no zero requiem. Lelouch and Suzaku decided to take over the world after defeating Charles in C's world. The fate of characters like Kallen and C.C will be revealed as the story goes on.**

 **Again, thanks for all the reviews favs and follows.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N**

 **Thank you, all the reviews, favs and follows. It means a lot to mean and is what keeps me going.**

 **Please enjoy the story and please leave a review**

 **Disclaimer: Code Geass and its characters Do Not belong to me.**

 **Chapter 3**

"Lelouc… His majesty, the emperor _requested_ that I consider becoming his Prime Minister…"

Okay, Milly had not been expecting that. The last prime minister of the Holy Britanian empire had been Prince Schneizel el Britannia and the last any one had ever heard of him was " _Schneizel has surrendered to me._ " Milly supposed now he was either in prison or more likely dead. The emperor would not let such a big threat as Schneizel live. Schneizel as prime minister had held a lot of power in the governance of the empire but under a ruler like the demon emperor would the prime minister really have any real power. So, the position had been vacant up until now.

"The Prime Minister…" her father said as if to check what he had heard was correct. Everyone's else's expression was proof enough that his hearing had not stopped working.

"But why you?" Rivalz asked after another long silence, asking the question Milly herself had been wondering.

"I don't know that myself, but the emperor said that he needed someone in the position who _wasn't a sycophant or a puppet_ and someone he knew who _was competent and a man of principles"._ Ruben said, "Those are his own words." Ruben at this point had sat himself on a chair and was nursing a drink Milly's mother had handed him.

"You said it was _request_ " Rivalz said probably knowing it was a stupid question "So you can technically refuse him?"

Milly's grandfather gave him a look that clearly said that yes, Rivalz was being stupid. While her parents look clearly said why would anyone refuse such a position.

"I did ask him if I could refuse" Ruben took a deep breath and continued "He just smirked at me, and at that moment the Orange Knight decided to clean his blade that popped out of his sleeve of all things, the Knight of Zero decided it was good time to report that the rebellion in " _beta location has been squashed"_ and all the royal guards present decided it as a good idea to check if their guns were properly loaded. That scared the hell out of me so, no Rivalz I don't think I can refuse him. I have already accepted actually."

Once again silence.

"So, you will be the next prime minister of the holy Britanian empire. What an honor. We get to move back to the homeland?" Milly's mother excitement apparently had returned, and Milly knew her parents was already mentally planning to pack and move. They now probably expected to return to the glory they had during empress Marianne's time.

"Yes, _I_ get to move to the homeland. The emperor will announce my appointment at tomorrow's ball and expects me to start working at my new post at the start of next month." Which was two weeks from now.

Her parents taking all this as good news soon retired to their room, talking in excited tones about _the new chapter_ in their lives and how living in the homeland would be like. Rivalz too went to bed after saying a tired goodnight. Leaving Milly and her grandfather to their thoughts, in the large living room of the suite they had been assigned.

"You know the emperor did tell me that your parents would react like that." Ruben told Milly after a long while "He always was very good a predicting what people would do." Milly had to agree with that. Even during the student council days Lelouch had been freakishly good at predicting how various people would react ,and how various situations would pan out, to some crazy festival Milly was planning to throw.

"Grandfather what was the entire dinner like? I mean what else did you talk about? Who else was there?"

"Well like I said the Knights of Zero and One were there. The emperor first thanked me for my _support_ for when he was in hiding. The he told me of some of the new polices he was planning to implement. He asked my opinion on those polices. I got confused at that point. I mean why would he tell me about them. Of course, now it makes sense. The knights talked about how their various military operations were going. The emperor talked about the construction of the new capital." Milly had to admit in just six months Neo pendragon was now a bustling metropolis. The new capital of the holy Britanian empire had been built in an already existing small city which had now become the centre of the world. "He talked about the colony of Japan and its progress after the destruction of Tokyo settlement. There was general small talk among the knights and the emperor about various nobles and all. It was actually after dinner when I was planning on asking permission to leave that he told me about the prime minister thing."

He took a swig of his drink, grimaced and continued "You know, during the entire dinner I felt like the whole conversation was planned by him. That somehow, I was being manipulated. It's difficult to explain… it felt …. like he would judge the smallest movement I made, the way I replied and decided on what topic to talk about."

He took another gulp and said "I don't think I should be surprised on what he has managed to accomplish so far. I mean conquering the whole world. He was always good at chess you know even when he was young only Schneizel could ever beat him. I mean he is still technically young, almost a year younger then you Milly I believe, but I mean when he was younger." He lapsed into silence as if he was remembering that time.

"Anyways I am rambling now. My dear you should also probably go to bed as well. Big day tomorrow. Big day…" He trailed off.

Milly got up and hugged her grandfather. They stayed like that for a while.

"Good night Grandpa" Milly said as she made her way to her assigned bedroom.

She heard a soft "Good night my dear" in reply.

Suffice to say she did not have a good night. She spent hours worrying about her grandfather and the mysterious request Lelouch was going to make of her. Her grandfather had been right, Lelouch was a planner. One of the best if not the best in the world, given how he had conquered the world, and all this appointment was probably a part of a larger plan no one except a few were aware of.

The next day she was woken late by her mother. Apparently, the army of servants who had served them dinner had arrived again to serve them breakfast while she had still been sleeping but there was still left-over breakfast for her. After freshening up she ate the breakfast, which was delicious, while listening to her mother drone on about the upcoming nights ball. Rivalz and her father were watching news on the television while her grandfather was drinking coffee while reading the newspaper. Her grandfather looked more composed and relaxed today which made her happy. Milly could tell he had accepted his new fate and would dive headfirst into work as soon as he could.

"Hey Milly, do you want to go explore around the palace?" Rivalz asked after she had finished her breakfast.

"Sure." She replied. However as soon as they attempted to leave the suite they were stopped by guards who had evidently been stationed there. They asked Rivalz and Milly if they required something and on Rivalz explanation that they only wanted to walk around a bit one of the guards said

"I am sorry, but the Knight of Zero has ordered that all the guests remain in their suites for the time being for their own safety. Should you require something please ring the bell and a servant will be around to assist you."

"So, we are stuck inside till the ball! Man, I really wanted to explore the grounds." Rivalz complained. The guards just gave him a blank look. They went back inside the suite.

After aplenty hours of doing nothing (during which the army of the army of servants came back and left with lunch this time), well in Milly's case worrying about the mysterious request and in Rivalz case worrying about Milly worrying about the mysterious request and trying to distract themselves by watching T.V or using the computers provided in the suite, Sayoko returned this time with four women carrying boxes. Ruben had passed the time by reading files which contained information about the current various ministers and ministries, the files had been sent by the emperor so that Ruben could familiarize himself with the people he would be working with. Her parents had spent the time by gossiping on their phones about the ball.

"These ladies will help the ladies Ashford with their makeup and hair." Sayoko explained "If you need anything else please do not hesitate to ring the bell. Also, someone will be along to escort you all to the ball after you are ready." She soon left to complete "a mission" the emperor had assigned her. The make-up women were quite helpful in Milly's opinion and they even helped her choose the gown she would wear to the ball.

It took her over an hour to get ready, but the end result was worth it. So, Milly allowed herself a little vanity, Milly knew that she was pretty but now she was looking absolutely stunning. As soon as Rivalz, who was dressed in his best formal clothes, saw her his mouth fell open and all he could manage was "Wow." Her father smiled at her and glared at Rivalz. He had not never been too fond of Rivalz and had tired, along with her mother, to invite a noble man as her guest but she had refused. Her grandfather too smiled at her while her mother nodded approvingly. Milly knew that her mother had been hoping she would catch some young nobles eye. And the odd for a favorable match, in her mother's mind, would now skyrocket considering, her grandfather's new position.

Their escort once again surprisingly turned out to be the Knight of Zero, honestly didn't he have something better to do than to guide them around. He was dressed in his ceremonial Knight of Zero dress robes.

"Lelouch will most likely talk to you after the ball about the request." He told her after he had sent her family and Rivalz ahead with some guards. The ball room was apparently quite a walk away from their quarters.

Milly could only nod at that.

"Did Lelouch send you to escort us?" She asked before she could think better of it. It had been stupid, she had momentarily forgotten that she was no longer at Ashford academy and this was not just Suzaku she was talking to. But Suzaku apparently did not seem to mind. He smiled and said

"Actually no. He also did not send me to the airport. Oh, he knew about it, but he did not object my suggestion of going to receive you from the airport." He paused. "Perks of being his right-hand man I guess. Also, sorry you couldn't leave your suite earlier today. It really was for your safety, since you and your family are from a select few that were given special treatment. Some people were poking their noses where they did not belong trying to learn why. You can explore tomorrow if you want. I have assigned some guards that will go with you." Milly did not know whether to be surprised or not to learn that Suzaku had learned she and Rivals had tried to leave the suite. But she was surprised at getting her own guards.

"Anyways I am assuming you spent a lot of time worrying about what Lelouch is going to ask." At her "obviously" look he continued.

"Like I said you _can_ refuse him. Remember that. I don't want you to. But you can." He paused again before saying "Please don't though. Accept it. Once you find out what the request actually is you will find that it's a lot, and I realize I should not ask it of you of all people as it will affect your entire life, it might be unfair to you but please accept it. I know Lelouch better than anyone…almost anyone else alive, so I will tell you this: he will try to dissuade you. He will try to manipulate you. That's what he is. That's what he does. But no matter what he says, he does need it. He will give you his reasons for why it is needed. But whatever reasons he gives to you for acceptance or refusal. remember there is an extra reason why _I_ want you to accept it. I will explain it to you after you have heard what he has to say."

They walked in silence after that leaving Milly once again to wonder what was it that Lelouch needed so badly that he and Suzaku had a separate reasons for her to accept it.

They reached the ball room doors where Rivalz and her family were waiting for them. Suzaku left them and went inside. Her parents and grandfather followed him in and she entered with Rivalz, he was her guest after all. They were some of the last few to entre.

The Ball room was a large expanse of square space with a glass dome at the center of the roof. One side was lined with refreshments on long tables while the other sides had tables and chairs for resting. The emperors throne sat on the opposite side to the door. And in the center was the dance floor. In one corner of the room were the musicians.

Her parents had already started to mingle around with some of the guests. Rivalz was looking around nervously while her grandfather had made a beeline towards a somewhat fat man, while muttering something like "minister of education". He had already stepped into the role of prime minister even though his job did not really start in two weeks. She looked around for a familiar face, some of her friends form school and work were going to be there. She thought she saw Sophie ***** from school but before she could go to her the emperor came into the ball room. He was dressed in black and white elegant imperial clothes and walked towards his thrones. He was accompanied by the Orange Knight, trailed by six guards and Suzaku materialised at his side. The emperor stood before his throne and faced his audience and said

"Ladies and gentlemen of the realm, I welcome you all to our six-month victory ball. Today marks the half year mark of our victory over the world! Today marks the six months since the world was united as one and peace reigned! My name is Lelouch vi Britannia and it's the name of future of the world!"

That was followed by "All hail Lelouch" by everyone in the room.

After that the ball began and almost everyone divided into pairs to dance while the emperor sat on his throne. Before she could look for Sophie again, Rivalz had left to get a drink, she felt a tap on her shoulder she turned around a come face to face with Lloyd Asplund her former fiancé.

"My lady can I have this dance?" He asked with a smile on his face. She held out her hand to him and they went to the dance area.

"So, err… Lloyd how have you been?" She asked him, holding no ill will towards him.

"Oh, you know working on different projects assigned by the emperor. Being the imperial head of research is hard work, but I love it and I have Cecile and Nina to help me." He finished giving his costmary grin.

"So, Nina is alive that is good to hear. I was worried about her ever since you know, you kidnapped her." Milly said raising an eyebrow. Lloyd gave her a sheepish grin.

"Well… his majesty ordered me to, he needed her to…" he trailed off and the changing the subject he said "Well anyways, she wanted to come today, but she was feeling a bit sick today, so she couldn't make. I can ask Suzaku for you and I think he will arrange for you to visit her."

"Thank you, I will like that."

He smiled, nodded and they finished their dance. She then danced with Rivalz, her father and grandfather. At some point the emperor had left his throne was mingling among the guests, he was still accompanied by the guards and either the Orange knight or the Knight of Zero at all times. She did at one point see Suzaku dancing with a pretty Japanese girl.

Milly was sitting at a table with her family and was watching Rivalz dance with an old classmate of his when she heard her parents stand and say, "Your Majesty."

Lelouch had approached their table, he nodded to her family and held out a hand to Milly,

"My lady, will you have a dance with me?" The emperor asked smiling.

There was hushed silence around them, the emperor had not asked anyone else to dance with him. At a nudge from her father she took the emperor's hand and they went to the dance floor. She could feel everyone eyes on them but on Lelouch's flick of a hand everyone resumed what they had been doing however, their attention was still on them.

"You look lovely Milly" Lelouch said as they danced.

"Thank you, your majesty" he gave her a smirk. It was such a familiar sight and such a Lelouch thing to do that she almost tripped. He smirked again.

"I am assuming Suzaku told you that I want to talk to you?" he asked almost sounding nervous. That was odd.

"Yes, your majesty"

"Good, I will send Jerimiah, to bring you to me in a few hours." He said. And then gave her a sad smiled and whispered, "I did miss you Milly, really I did." In that moment, for a second, he was not the demon emperor ruler of the world but instead he was Lelouch, the handsome charismatic intelligent but lazy Lelouch, her childhood friend and so she replied in a whisper as well

"I missed you too Lelouch." He smiled again but then the dance ended and emperor Lelouch was back.

"Remember, I will talk to you later." Like she could forget. The emperor left calling out "Patterson, a word."

Milly went back to her table where her family and Rivalz were waiting. Her grandfather and Rivalz looked at her in worry. Her parents were brimming with excitement, to them all this was dream come true, they had finally risen in power again. But Milly had never been more nervous and anxious in her entire life. So, she sat on table refused any more dances and waited.

It was about two hours later, at the end of which the emperor announced the new prime minster and people flocked to congratulate her grandfather, when everyone else at the ball was sufficiently distracted the Orange Knight came to her and said

"If you would follow me please my Lady, the emperor will see you now."

 **A/N**

 **This chapter turned out longer than I expected, but hopefully you guys had as much fun reading it as I had wiring it.**

 ***Sophie is a canon character. He was Shirley's roommate.**

 **The Nunnally Rolo Charles memory Geass thing will hopefully be explained in the next chapter.**

 **Again, thanks for all the reviews favs and follows.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N**

 **As always thanks for all the reviews favs and follows. It means a lot to mean and is what keeps the story alive**

 **Here it is, the chapter with the reveal of the** _ **request.**_ **This chapter is basically the idea that led me to write this story.**

 **So hopefully you will enjoy this and please leave a review.**

 **Chapter 4**

Milly followed the Orange Knight till they reached a section of the palace that was heavily guarded. It looked like they were going to the emperor's personal living quarters. The Knight stopped at a large double door and said

"The emperor awaits inside my lady" and he took a post just outside the door, so that he may hear if the emperor called for him, Milly assumed.

Milly went inside. It was a large spacious room with expensive furniture and decorations, there were no windows but there were decorative curtains hanging and there were many doors, leading to washroom and bedrooms Milly guessed. She thought she might have caught a flash of green going into one of the doors as it closed.

The emperor was sitting on the sofa looking almost anxious, twirling a black king chess peace around his fingers. It was not the Demon emperor sitting on the sofa but the Lelouch, she would see worrying about something, usually Nunnally, trying to hide his emotions. It looked like he had an incredible weight on his shoulders. He looked almost raw, with no masks. Milly almost asked what was worrying him, but the emperor was still the emperor she kept her mouth shut. Milly did notice there were no guards present.

"Hello again Milly, you really do look stunning."

"Your Majesty" Milly said curtsying and blushing.

"No, at this moment, for now, during this conversation, I am not Lelouch vi Britannia, the demon emperor, I am just Lelouch. Your former Student council vice president. But that does not mean you can use that GUTS spell of yours." He gave a small smile at the end.

"Alright you maj… Lelouch." There was a silence.

"So, what is this request that has been kept me up all night and hasn't left my mind." If he wanted to speak to her as she used to then she would.

"My request is more of a… proposal." He got an odd look as he said that. He shook her head and continued

"Personally, I don't want you to say yes. Please Milly do not accept, I cannot bear it, to completely throw another person's life into disarray, someone who I care about. Because it will Milly, it will. If you accept your current life will be gone and everything will be different. You will no longer be the excellent news reporter you are" He gave her sad smile. " _he will try to manipulate you._ " Suzaku had said, was the smile and compliments a part of the manipulation?

"If you accept you will become a target, for a little while at least, for those who hate me, and I may not be able to protect you." He let that sink into her and after it had she asked

"Can I tell other people and ask for their opinions as well? About the request I mean?"

"You can talk to your grandfather, parents and maybe Rivalz about it. Suzaku told me that Lloyd asked him if he could arrange for you to visit Nina. You can ask her. Though she is one of the people who hates me the most in the world. But no one else." Was mentioning that Nina hated him supposed to remind her that she should hate him as well, was this part of Lelouch's manipulations as well. She stayed quiet.

"However, I did promise Suzaku that I will talk to you so... and that I would not use my gea…." He trailed off at the end, so she did not understand what he had said at the end. Lelouch shook his head and continued.

"But before I tell you the _request_ there are some things you should know. First if you do accept, know that I will also accept it, put all my heart into it and put my full effort to make _it_ work." Milly got the feeling that this time by _it_ he was not only talking about the request but also what was to follow it. Milly believed he would do as he had said. 

"Second, you will hear part of a true story now but if you do accept I will tell you the whole story, with proof, starting from a fateful day in Shinjuku ghetto, when I met a certain witch and the contract I made with her" He had a fond little smile when he mentioned the _witch?_ Okay now she was curious about the story.

"Third you will have till tomorrow night to give me your answer. A short time for what will surely be a big request I know."

"Forth, if you do not accept, and I insist that you DO NOT. I will make you forget we ever had this conversation or that there ever was a request, when people ask you will tell them that I had simply wanted to catch up with an old friend, so I danced with you." He gave an arrogant, yet handsome little smirk, as he said that. Okay, now the demon emperor was back, or was it just another manipulation reminding her who he was. But the way he had said it indicated she really would forget the conversation. How would that be possible, this was weird. She did not need another weird moment like when she and Rivalz had tried to tell an old acquaintance from school that Lelouch always had a younger sister not a brother, at the end they had to pretend they had been joking.

"Okay, onwards with the parts of the story you do need to know." The emperor said "After defeating my par… Charles. Suzaku and I realized that humans fought each other, never realizing that ultimately, they most of them had the same goal, a future with peace. He realized that humanity was longing for the future. To give them that there had to be a change. So, for the change to occur it had to be imposed and humanity had to be united. And what better way to unite someone than to give them something to hate. And thus, the demon emperor was born. Born to become a tyrant who the world would despise. And the tyrant needed a sword thus the Knight of Zero was born."

"Our original plan was to conquer the world and the start the change. Listen to what people needed and then make it happen. What we did not for see was Damocles. We knew Schneizel had FLEIJA and that he was working on a project, but Damocles was a nasty surprise. However, we had gone too far to back out, so we took the Damocles. It severed its purpose, it allowed me to conquer the world but taking the Damocles had a side effect, people were too afraid now, they could no longer resist out of fear of it. They feared me a bit too much. The world was now stuck in the perpetual state of now. So, we needed someone they could go to without fear of being killed for saying something the demon emperor did not want to hear. We needed an intermediary between the emperor and the people. People need someone to tie their hopes to. In the past that had been Zero… but he cannot be revived and irrelevant to this conversation."

"Suzaku and Jerimiah are out of question. Too loyal to the emperor. They along with the Damocles are a symbol to the emperor's strength, the doom and destruction of emperor's enemies. You know, once a petitioner came to me, but out of fear he only mumbled only a few words of my praise and left. I sent Suzaku to find out what the man had actually wanted but the man thought I had sent Suzaku to kill him. C.C is also seen as very loyal to me, she did fight alongside me during the battle over Mt Fuji besides she rarely goes out in public, so she was out. So was everyone who had fought at my side. In the end Nunnally was the best choice, she would have been ideal: being the favored sister of the emperor who spoke her mind, and we told our plan and she agreed to it but then…"

"It got leaked that she had fired the FLEIJA at the old Pendragon city and caused all that death and destruction" Milly said seeing where he was going with this. The media had exploded with the news and the princess who was pitted before was hated now, not to the degree as the emperor, far from it. And Milly also really wanted to find out who C.C was. Was she the _witch_ Lelouch had mentioned?

"Yes, and the perpetrator of the leak was found and…dealt with. Anyways, almost all of my other siblings are dead, killed by the FLEIJA dropped on Pendragon, partiality my fault as I did invite them when I became the emperor. Cornelia was another option, but she opposes and hates me too much to ever work with me, and a mind-controlled puppet would basically still be me." He stopped at that as if waiting for to speak. So, as realization finally came to she did speak by saying

"You… want… me to be that person…"

"Yes." But why _her_ she was no one special, sure she had had good grades in school, she knew she was smarter than average, she was just good at hiding it (so she could fool the suitors her mother arranged for her) and she was good at talking to people and listening to what they had to say…okay that would be a plus in Lelouch's plan but it would not be enough so she said

"But Lelouch at best I would just be seen an old childhood friend, no one would ever see me as so one with power to make the demon emperor listen, even if my grandfather is now the Prime Minister."

There was a very long pause.

"And that is my I called this request more of a proposal, because… that's what it exactly is a _proposal_."

Milly was quite for a while trying to process Lelouch's words but then she remembered Lelouch's odd look when he had said proposal, so it hit her, and realization dawned on her… A wife would be the perfect person to have the emperor's ears. She would be close to him. But still be able to listen to people. And she could influence the emperor in a way no others could. It was smart.

"A… proposal…like a… _proposal_ proposal."

"Yes."

They both said nothing for a good long while. Milly was quite flabbergasted that had come from nowhere, this was too much, she could not talk, her mouth could not form words. At last Lelouch, giving her a smile and said:

"So, Milly Ashford, will you be my empress… my wife?"

Apparently Lelouch had expected her confused and shocked state. So, he got up wearing a blank resigned face and without actually waiting for an answer, said a loud "Jerimiah" and turned and went into one of the doors. She sat there for what felt like hours still dazed, until she felt a light tap on her shoulder.

"My lady, I am to escort you back to your quarters." She nodded got up and followed the knight not really paying attention to her surroundings. She had questions, like who was C.C, what contract with the witch, why most people thought he had a brother while he was with the Ashford family, what did he mean by _mind-controlled puppets_ but most importantly, the question that made all others secondary, and that question was _"why me."_

"Judging by your state it seems Lelouch made the request." Milly stopped. The knight of Orange was no longer escorting her instead Suzaku had taken his place.

All Milly could manage was to give a weak nod.

"He also told you why it's needed, and you obviously have questions?" Another nod.

"Okay, I will get straight to it. First the obvious one _why you_?" In Milly's dazed state she had not realized that they had reached a balcony overlooking some gardens. It was beautiful night. Suzaku gestured to some chairs and they both sat down.

" _Why you?_ Because you know him, and people know that you know him, they know that you are his childhood friend, it is a well-known fact that he studied in Ashford academy and that he was with your family all that time he was _absent from the court_. It is also known that your family were supporters of his mother. Lelouch, no doubt, said that we can find someone else, but what he fails to realize is his own nature. He will never be able to fully trust that someone, I shouldn't say never but it will take a long time, longer than what we have. You are one of the few people he has ever trusted. Oh, he didn't tell you everything, but he did trust you with something that is very important to him, the safety of his sister." He paused and stared down at the garden while Milly sat still very confused and shocked.

"Also, you" Suzaku continued "Because you have known all most all sides of Lelouch, the spoiled but kind prince he was before his mother's… _death._ The worried older brother whose only major concern was his crippled younger sister. The aloof but smart vice president of the student council who barely paid attention in school and was instead more focused on gambling. And now the arrogant emperor who bears the weight of the world because of his own action." He paused again looked at her as if waiting for her to say something, but she was too shell shocked to comply, so he continued.

"He no doubt told you that we need an intermediary between the emperor and the people, someone people can trust. While I whole heartedly agree with that but like I told you before, it is not the only reason I want you to accept. Like I said Lelouch bears the weight of the world and he needs someone with him who can help ease it. He does not realize this, but the weight will crush him. He is walking in darkness, bearing the hatred of the world. And I cannot help him with that. I swore to be his knight, his sword, the person who destroys his enemies, if he tells me to jump I ask _how high your majesty_. I may be his best friend, but I am ultimately helping him stay in the darkness."

There were now tears in his eyes. This was out of character for Suzaku but at the same time it was not, he had cried after all when he found they were all alive after the Hotel kidnapping incident.

"Milly everyone needs a light to follow, even the demon emperor, and I want you, Milly Ashford, to be the light in the darkness for Lelouch vi Britannia."

 **A/N**

 **So, I had to think if there was no zero requiem how would the story work and this was my solution. It's not perfect and has flaws but it was something that occurred to me that might work.**

 **Next chapter will deal with Milly's response.**

 **Again, thanks for all the reviews favs and follows.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N**

 **As always thanks for all the reviews favs and follows. They helped make this story.**

 **It took me while to get this chapter done. It is longer than the rest. And this is the last chapter. I did say it was going to be short story type of thing.**

 **So hopefully you will enjoy this and please leave a review.**

 **Disclaimer: Code Geass and its characters Do Not belong to me**

 **Chapter 5**

"Milly everyone needs a light to follow, even the demon emperor, and I want you, Milly Ashford, to be the light in the darkness for Lelouch vi Britannia."

Okay, how do you possibly reply to that. But maybe Suzaku wasn't looking for an answer. Maybe it was something else she just had to think about.

The silence continued to stretch, during which Suzaku composed himself.

"I am assuming Lelouch told you who you could tell about this." Milly nodded.

"Good, but make it clear not to them not to spread this. Also, do not tell the reasons he gave you."

"Seriously!" Milly exclaimed.

"Yes, no one can know. Only a select few know. If this spread, that will make the whole thing pointless." Suzaku said. "He also told you that you could tell your parents about the…proposal."

"Yes, why does that matter?"

"Because he know your parents, He knows that they have been grasping at a chance for power. So he knows that they, especially your mother, will want you to say yes. Which will make you want to say no."

He was right it would. Lelouch had been the one she had confided in after her mother had brought up the subject of her marriage.

"You do know that he has no intention of giving them that power. He has not forgotten when they had once attempted to reveal him and his sister. Your grandfather stopped them."

Milly had not been aware of this. But speaking of sister

"Suzaku can I ask you something?" she asked and at his nod she said, "How come Rivalz and my family are the only ones from school who seem to know that Lelouch always had a sister and not a brother? They all seem to think that Nunnally never left homeland and that his brother is the one that came with him. Which makes no sense since I know that Lelouch never had a full brother."

He was quite for a while as if thinking of way to answer her. "I am sorry I cannot explain it to you right now. But I know that Lelouch will explain it to you it if you say yes."

"And if I say no." He looked at her as if pleading with her not to do so

"Then you will forget we ever had this conversation, you will forget about the proposal and you will be among those who think he had a brother."

"I don't think I am ever likely to forget _this._ "

He gave her a somewhat weird smile and said "Lelouch can be quite persuasive. But do not worry about it"

"Was making my grandfather the prime mistier a part of this…?" Milly asked him

"Partially, he was one of the top candidates Lelouch had decided on and would have been appointed within a year from now or so anyways. So, he just had to slightly accelerate his plans so that we could mask…"

"My appearance in case I rejected." She finished for him

He nodded and got up after that and said that he will take her back to her quarters. He also told her about the six guards he had assigned her. He said that they would do obey " _almost"_ all her orders, according to protocol alpha 3, whatever that was, and that if and when she wanted to visit Nina she should tell her guards to take Milly to her.

LBLBLBLBLB

Her family and Rivalz were waiting for her when she got back. He guards took their posts outside

"Where have you been?" He mother asked as Milly sunk into a sofa. "I…" Her mother continued but then she saw the look on Milly's face and asked, "Are you alright?"

Milly wasn't sure about the second part, so she just said, "I was with Lelouch."

"What did his majesty want?" Both her grandfather and father asked with concern on their faces.

"He told you about the request didn't he" Rivalz said before she could reply.

"What request!? they all asked so he told them about how Suzaku had said that Lelouch would make a request when they had been coming back from the airport.

"Well what request did the emperor make" Her mother finally said

"He proposed to me" Milly said plainly. There was confusion on their faces.

"Proposed what dear" Her father asked.

"Marriage. He wants me to be his empress… his wife."

Their reaction was pretty much as she had expected. Her grandfather went pale. Her parents went quite while Rivalz exclaimed "He what!?" and started mumbling while clutching his hair.

And just like Suzaku had said her mother said "That's great news. Our daughter the next empress..." And just like Lelouch probably had predicted, Milly intercepted her mother loudly by saying

"I haven't said yes."

"What why?" Her father asked.

But before she could answer he grandfather asked, "He gave you a choice?" the demon emperor gave you a choice was strongly implied.

"Yes, he said he wants my answer by tomorrow night."

"And you didn't say no?"

"No. I didn't know what to say, of all things I wasn't expecting this. What do I do…"

They all looked back at her, well Rivalz was still moaning, Milly had to wonder the irony that previously on the topic of Milly's marriage Rivalz had always gone and complained to Lelouch and now complaining to Lelouch was impossible, so Rivalz just looked lost. Her parents on the other hand seemed to have realized her dilemma and were looking at her in concern. After a while her grandfather spoke up

"Speaking as the prime minister, the proposal is not a bad idea. It will provide the empire with an opportunity for an heir." Milly blushed she had not even considered _that_ part of marriage, though her grandfather seemed not to have noticed as he continued "You will most definitely have the emperor's ears, as empress you will be in a position of power to do some good." That was not far from Lelouch's own reasons. Her grandfather looked at her direct in the eyes "As your grandfather I just want you to be happy. But can you be that while married to the demon emperor?"

Her parents gasped at the demon emperor part though her father had been nodding along to what her grandfather had said. Rivalz had now stopped moaning and was now only doing a very good fish impression, so an improvement.

"I don't know."

"Maybe you can consult your friends" her father suggested. Milly scoffed. What friends, one was currently in some sort of shock, two of them were hated by the world, one was working for the previously mentioned two, Kallen was most likely in prison, Shirley was dead, and she had no idea where the Knights of the Rounds who had joined their school were. But if she was empress maybe she might be able to find out…

Milly was glad none of them had asked why the emperor had decided to marry. So, since none of them were very keen on talking now, though Milly knew that her mother would try to persuade Milly to say yes as soon as she got over the shock, she went to bed for another sleepless night. Nearly every girl in school had a crush on school and had at least thought about marrying Lelouch, how could they not he was handsome intelligent, not the most athletic person but there had been a mysterious charm to him that had attracted nearly every girl Milly included…

The next day after breakfast Milly told her guards to take her to Nina. When a now somewhat composed Rivalz decided to join her, he was stopped by the guards who told them that only those with the emperor's permission were allowed to visit Nina. When Rivalz protested but one of the guards said that he would have to take the issue up with the emperor. Thus, Milly left to visit another old friend.

Milly had thought that they would be taking a car to the head research facility instead the guards took her through a confusing array of corridors till they reached a research facility, hidden behind an unassuming door.

Milly's trip to Nina did not turn out to be as helpful as she had thought it was going to be After they had said their hellos Milly told Nina everything. Milly was surprised to learn that Nina already knew of Lelouch's plans. However, she was not aware of Suzaku's reason.

"I truly do hate Lelouch. I hate him more than anyone in the world. He took away… He took away something precious. But I know what he is doing is for the good reasons." Nina said. Milly was sure she was talking about Euphemia when she said something precious, but she was not sure what Lelouch had to do with it. "I made a terrible weapon, that has killed millions, I can never be forgiven but I am trying to atone myself by working on my projects. Maybe you can be his atonement." She paused, grimaced as if reliving something and continued

"You know now one even talks about the massacre princess, her crime pales in comparison to the demon emperor and Lelouch is willing to accept that. As for what Suzaku said he is trying to help his friend in the way he can. He himself cannot do it. So, he is asking you to do it. I don't know, weather you accept is up to you. Weather, you want to remain a news reporter or become an empress the choice is entirely your and I cannot help you decide. If you do either you would be helping Lelouch, and I am extremely biased towards him, so Milly I can't help you decide"

Okay, this was way to philosophical for Nina, like everyone else she too had changed. Her meeting with Nina had not helped at all. Maybe Lelouch had known this and that is why he had allowed her to meet Nina. Remind Milly that Lelouch was to be hated.

Though it had been good to see an old friend, but her conundrum remained. Be a news reporter go back to her life or sacrifice her current life. She understood the need for it but was she able to.

Lelouch and Suzaku had done it. They were the two most powerful people in the world, but they were also the most hated.

Soon Cecile and Lloyd dropped by and ate lunch with Milly and Nina. So, after saying good bye to the three of them, who at this point had started talking about stabilizing the kinetic… science stuff that Milly could not comprehend she told her guards to take her back to her quarters.

She never reached her suite, instead she found the balcony she and Suzaku had talked on last night and so she leaned on the railing and looked down at the grounds. There sitting around a large table displaying a digital map, she was surprised to see, were the emperor, the Knights of Zero and One and some other high-ranking members of the military, of whom some she recognized and some she didn't. They all seemed to be finalizing military plans of some sort. But they were sitting far away enough that she could not hear what they were saying.

Soon she was joined by a strange woman with green hair. Milly was surprised that her guards had let the woman through, they did not seem concerned, so she assumed that the woman was not a threat. Milly opened her mouth but before she could say anything the woman spoke.

"You do not need to say anything to me. I know who you are. I know of Lelouch's proposal and Suzaku's request of you, you can tell them that I talked to you later. So, I will answer all your questions before you ask them and leave. I am C.C. Yes, I am the woman Lelouch calls witch. No, I mean you no harm. No Lelouch does not know that I am talking to you. Yes, the guards let me through, Lelouch has ordered to let me go where I want. No, I cannot be the one there for him at least not for a few years, I have to travel and see if any remnants of the Order remain… And yes, you should say yes to him, Suzaku is right. Everyone wishes to die with a smile on their face." With that the woman turned and left.

That had been the most bizarre conversation, if it could be called that, she ever had and that was including her latest conversation with Lelouch and Suzaku. However, Milly had noticed there had been fondness in C.C. voice when she had mentioned Lelouch…

Milly was still lost in thought, so it was quite a while after she noticed down on the grounds everyone else had left except the emperor and the Knights of Zero and One. Then she saw Lelouch's mask fall. Then she saw Lelouch for the young man he was, barely an adult, the man who had taken over the world and with it the burden of the worlds hatred. He looked so broken as if he just had made a decision that would affect millions, who would hate him for it, but it would be ultimate in the end good for them.

Lelouch gave what looked to be a sigh, got up and passed under the Milly's balcony and Milly heard him say as he passed under her.

"So be it, I will bear the brunt of this crime as well, it will pile on all the darkness of my life."

That and what the strange woman had said at the end of her speech made Milly make her decision. She told her guards to take her to the emperor's quarters where she waited for him to come back.

When Lelouch came back he look tired.

"I was surprised when my guards told me you were waiting inside. I was going to send for you later after dinner." He said sitting down on of the couches.

"Yes."

"Yes? What."

"Yes, I will be your empress and your wife."

For a long while he just looked at her. Then asked

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because you asked. Because the world needs it and you need me."

"Thank you?" He said after a while.

"Your welcome. Now you promised me a story." Milly said her cheer returning

So, he told her. He told her about meeting C.C about Geass, she found hard to believe until he proved it to her by showing removing his lenses and showing his eyes, he told her about being Zero. He told her how his Geass had gotten out of control and what he had accidently made Euphemia do. There had been tears in his eyes when he told her this. (This also explained Nina's hatred and bizarre behavior.) He told her about V.V kidnapping Nunnally and Suzaku taking him to the Charles. He told her about Rolo.

"A few months ago I sent Jerimiah to cancel my father's Geass on you and Rivalz. I had wanted Nunnally friends to remember her. However there was a weird side effect. Instead of now remembering both Nunnally and Rolo like I did, you two now remembered Nunnally instead Rolo. You forgot about Rolo and replaced him with Nunnally in your minds. Weird I know, replacing a cripple girl with a walking boy then forgetting the walking boy and re replacing him with the cripple girl. But Geass is a wired and still very unexplored thing and I have no intention on performing any experiments, not after my parents."

So, he continued his story. Being Zero again, making the UFN, capturing an empress, Shirley's death, black knight's betrayal, his confrontation with both his parents. The plan and taking over Damocles and Geassing Schneizel.

"I told your grandfather he would have assistance and Schneizel is that assistance. He will of course remain in the back ground and in secret…"

After his story was done they were both quite for a long while. Until Lelouch said

"You know I told you if you accepted I will also accept it. I will put my heart into it. I know we will have our fights and disagreements, but I promise you I will do my best to make our … marriage work."

Lelouch smiled as he said the last part, and Milly also let out a genuine smile, they could make this work, make their marriage for the sake of the world and maybe even fall in love given time.

"This is all good but now I do expect a proper proposal." Milly said.

"What do you mean?"

"You know get down on your knee and give me a ring."

Lelouch laughed. It was not a manic laugh. It was a laugh of happiness. Suzaku was right he needed this. And it was really good to hear the laugh.

LBLBLBLBLB

Kallen had been in prison for almost one and a half year now. And she obviously had not enjoyed herself. She had woken up after her fight with Suzaku to find herself tied to a prison hospital bed. She had tried asking about the outcome of the war but had not gotten any answers. As soon as she had been deemed fit enough she had been sent to join the other females of the black knight's command in their cells.

There she had discovered that Lelouch had won the war and was now the ruler of the world. Her only silver lining had been that she had at least killed the Knight of Zero. Two months later that silver lining too was also destroyed when she discovered that Suzaku had survived. Some newer arrivals in the prison had told them their story.

They had a large resistance led by some of the leading members of the black knights including Ohgi, who had escaped the battle over Mt. Fuji and they were making strides against the emperor by engaging in guerilla tactics warfare that is until the white reaper descended upon them. He was in his new Knightmare and had single handed destroyed a large portion of their army. The resistance had crumpled and they had no choice but to surrender.

So Kallen had failed once again. She had failed Zero and she had failed to kill…

"Kallen." She familiar heard a voice calling her "Hello Kallen." Kallen who had been sitting against the wall with her head on her knees looked up and was very confused. She had to be dreaming because there was no was Milly Ashford, dressed in very impressive regal clothes would be standing there a few feet away from the unbreakable glass front of the cell she shared with the female higher-level member of the black knights. There were at least a dozen guards accompanying her.

"Milly… what are you doing here."

"To come and see you silly."

"What… how." Kallen was thoroughly confused.

"Hey, aren't you the News reporter from T.V" Tamaki said from the adjoining cell.

Milly just smiled.

"Does Lelo... does the emperor know you are here?" Kallen asked

"I did not tell him I was coming here today. But he probably knows by now."

"Wont he… order you to leave here?" Kaguya asked

"No." was her simple reply.

"Can you set us free" Ohgi asked hopefully from the next cell. He had hoping to get out ever since they had been captured, they all had been, but now most had given up. Ohgi had not. It was the only thing keeping him going. Hope to get out and meet his child, who would have been born by now.

"Set you free? No Lelouch would never allow that. He can never trust the core members of the black knights again. You all did betray him after all." Milly said sadly.

"You know about that. You know he was Zero." Kallen asked, shocked.

"Yes."

"How? It does not matter you are most likely under his Geass anyways…" Tohdoh said

"No, I am not actually, and neither were any of you. He never used his Geass on any of you. Well except for Kallen and that was asking her why she was fighting Britannia even before he became Zero. Think about it, would any of you have been able to betray him had you been under his Geass?" Milly said. That gave them all pause. Until Tohdoh spoke

"He admitted to using us as his pawns… he told us…"

"He thought he had just lost his sister, for whom he was fighting the entire time, he thought he had no reason left to live. So, he was willing to die. He told you all that to save Kallen in fact." Milly said rather angrily.

" _You have to live Kallen"_ Lelouch had said. Kallen eyes widened. He was protecting her. Zero really was protecting her.

"And how do you know all this? Just who the hell are you lady? No way some reporter knows all this" Tamaki asked in his loud Tamaki fashion

"She is an old friend of mine from school." Kallen said before Milly got a chance to explain. "Her name is Milly Ashford."

"It's not anymore" Milly said smiling with a twinkle in her eyes that Kallen was very familiar with from her school days.

"Not what?" Kallen asked

"My name it not Milly Ashford anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"My name is now Milly vi Britannia now. First empress to Lelouch vi Britannia, emperor of the holy Britanian empire and ruler of the world."

Kallen's mouth fell open. And there was silence in both the cells and then question started coming out of everyone. The empress simply ignored them.

"You married… how what…"

"Guards bring Kallen and Lady Kaguya to room 3 please. I wish to talk to them" Milly said before turning to leave. She stopped and said

"Kaneme Ohgi, while I cannot set you free, know this that both your daughter and … her mother are safe. The emperor has close eyes on them but they free and safe." With that she left. It was both a reassurance and a threat.

Room three turned out to be an interrogation type of room where Kallen and Kaguya were firmly seated and secured with the table and chairs.

"I am sorry about the sitting arrangement" Milly said as she herself sat on what looked to be a very comfortable chair that had most likely been brought for the… empress "But Lord Jerimiah is very adamant about my safety. Comes with his job I suppose."

"Are you really the empress or is this one of your games?" Kallen asked still disbelieving.

"I really am the empress."

"So, you married Lelouch. Rivalz must have been thrilled"

"Yes, Kallen I really did marry Lelouch. As for Rivalz, he is training to…" Milly trailed off.

"How and why" Kallen said still not comprehending.

"It's an interesting story. One I will not be telling even though I love telling stories. Suffice it to say I had my reasons."

"And are you… you know… really married… you know with all the parts that come with it." Kallen asked blushing.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"She is asking if you and your husband are doing their nightly activities." Kaguya said laughing.

"Oh" Milly blushed lightly placed a hand lightly on her stomach and said, "We _are_ married Kallen." That was answer enough for Kallen. "Besides why do you care?"

Kallen gave no answer. Just turned red. Milly smirked.

"What do you want form us empress Milly" Kaguya asked stepping into the role of a diplomat, a role which she was very capable of, forgoing the role of a slightly perverted teenage girl. Kallen had to admit it was very odd to hear someone call Milly empress

"You two were very loyal to Zero… or Lelouch as I will be calling him." Milly said "You were not directly a part of his betrayal so I believe you can be trusted somewhat. Lelouch will not trust you but he trusts me. Suzaku might have issues but he won't go against Lelouch."

She looked at them and continued.

"Besides Suzaku does agree that I need a good personal body guard. That can be you Kallen. Anya cannot do it. Lelouch has her on Nunnally guard duty. And I occasionally need a diplomat that can be you Lady Kaguya. Though you both need to decide now. It is a now or never offer."

"What?" they both said. This was all too sudden.

"You heard me. I am offering you your freedom. By working for me." Milly said as if it was very obvious.

"Working for the demon emperor you mean?" Kallen said and the guards bristled. Milly waved her hand and they quitted down.

"No working for me. You both will work for me for two years at least. Then you will be free to do whatever you please. Though I do suggest not joining some resistance faction."

"Why us?" Kaguya asked.

"Your skills. And for being you. You were members of the black knights and now by working for me it will be seen as a good thing. Sure, there will be some grumbling, but we can make it work."

"And after two years you will just let us go? That simple?"

"Yes. You can do whatever you want after that. Get drunk. Go to Japan. Work for the UFN, yes it still exists. Marry Lelouch become empresses alongside me." Milly said with a devilish smile.

 **A/N**

 **Alright this is it the end of my story.**

 **I plan to write some one shots exploring this universe, but they will be published, hopefully, separately from this.**

 **The part from Kallen's POV was experimental. And not originally a part of this story. If you do not like it pretend it does not exist. I am fine with that.**

 **Hope you all had as much fun reading it as I had writing it.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N**

 **I am back, after almost a year. Continuing a story, I had previously thought as completed. But I could not help myself.**

 **The chapter is very short. Just long enough to get my feet wet again and to see how people react. If I get positive feedback I will continue (I already have the basic outline written down for this arc) the story. If not oh well. At least I tried.**

 **Enjoy and leave a review.**

 **Disclaimer: Code Geass and its characters Do Not belong to me.**

 **Chapter 6**

Guarding the empress was painfully boring Kallen decided. Granted she had only been at her job only for five minutes but still.

She had arrived with her fellow guard squad, dressed in royal guard uniform complete with the face mask, and had promptly taken her position by the main door inside the royal suite with her partner, a guy named Ben. Just like she had been instructed in her training she had to endure in the last few weeks. The real royal suite, not the obvious royal suite nor the not so obvious suite either. Honestly, she had been surprised by the number of fake royal suites there had been. They had just relived the night shift and were waiting for the empress to come of her bed chamber. The emperors guard squad was already present.

The doors to the royal bedroom opened and out stepped the emperor himself. It had been over a year and half since Kallen had last seen Lelouch in person and despite herself she felt her heart skip a beat at the sight of him.

Judging from the tousled hair he looked to have just woken up. He was wearing and elegant black robe and looked as handsome as always. He made his way to the breakfast table, where two maids were setting the breakfast. One of the maids handed him a newspaper and a mug, which Kallen assumed contained coffee. He took a large sip and let out a sigh.

Before she could stop herself, her mouth opened on its own accord and said "Lelouch…"

Lelouch looked up at her from his newspaper, face completely neutral and calmly said "Yes?"

If only her mouth had not betrayed her, she would not be in this situation because Kallen did not know what to say and honestly, she had not expected him to actually respond.

Before she could decide what to do Milly entered the room wearing a white robe. She walked up to the breakfast table groggily and rubbing the sleep from her eyes saying, "Good morning" and kissed Lelouch on the cheek and sat on the chair next to him.

Kallen felt her stomach drop a little at the sight.

"Good morning." Lelouch replied glancing at Milly from his newspaper and giving her a smile. Why the emperor needed to read the newspaper that would print only what he wanted was beyond Kallen.

" Gah… I hate waking up this early. You know what Lelouch?" Milly said as she herself accepted a cup of coffee from the maid and smiling at her.

"What?" Lelouch asked putting down the newspaper and looking at Milly.

"You should pass a law that states that waking up before 11:00 am is a crime." Milly said completely seriously.

Lelouch snorted

"I am serious."

Lelouch snorted again.

"Just imagine it." Milly said with a smile and continued in an imitation of Lelouch "Attention entire world, my next proclamation: no one shall wake up before 11 am..."

"And not before noon on the weekends..." Lelouch added laughing out loud along with Milly.

At this point Kallen had seen plenty of weird thing in her life. This scene defiantly ranked in the top ten.

After their laughter died down the royal couple ate their breakfast in silence with smiles on their face.

"So, what's on your agenda for today?" Lelouch asked.

"First, I am going to meet Kaguya, she should have finished her assignment by now. Then lunch with Suzaku's lady."

Suzaku's lady? What did Milly mean by that? Did Suzaku actually get a girlfriend?

"Then I have meetings with some more people. You know I never expected this many meetings when I first married you."

"Don't forget. This evening…" Lelouch said.

"Yes, I remember, the mysterious date you have planned, that you won't tell me about. I look forward to it." Milly said smiling.

A date… they had a date today. Kallen felt the wired feeling in her stomach that she tried not to think about rise again.

"Well I am done with breakfast time to get ready for the day," the emperor said standing up. "I will see you later this evening." With the he got up kissed his wife on the head and went into one of the rooms.

 **A/N**

 **Next (defiantly much longer) chapter Kallen continues her first day as the personal body guard of the empress.**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N**

 **First of thank you all for the reviews, follows and favorites. They motivate me to keep on writing.**

 **Secondly the positive reviews I got all said I should continue the story, so I shall.**

 **One of the reviews mentioned about Marrybell which gave me an idea for an arc I can write about, so thank you** **hnh058513. I am always up for ideas.**

 **Just so things make sense in this AU Lelouch did not completely abolish the aristocracy, like he did in canon. In this AU he greatly restricted and reduced their power but did not abolish the nobility.**

 **Enjoy the story and please leave a review**

 **Disclaimer: Code Geass and its characters Do Not belong to me.**

 **Chapter 7**

 _With the he got up kissed his wife on the top her head and went into one of the rooms._

The gesture was so unlike Lelouch that Kallen had a hard time believing her eyes. She had only ever seen him being this affectionate to just one other person and that had been his sister.

Watching the two interact had brought about the same feelings she decided did not exist ever since the battle at Mt. Fuji …

"Well time to get ready." Milly said finishing her breakfast and getting up.

She too started walking towards one of the doors before turning her head and saying, "Kallen join me please." Kallen obeyed.

The room they entered was a large dressing room, and the Empress was promptly attended to by two maids both named Elizabeth. One of the maids went by Beth and the other as Elle. Kallen acknowledged their smiles with a nod.

During her training Kallen had been introduced to the maids and man servants that attended the royal couple. There were five maids in total and four man-servants plus one butler. And they were the only servants allowed in the _real_ royal suite. Anyone else dressed in either the maids or butlers' uniforms, who somehow made it into the royal suite was to be treated as a threat, regardless of who they claimed to be or who sent them.

"Which dress Kallen?" Milly suddenly asked.

"Huh- What?"

"Which dress?" Milly clarified by pointing at dresses, one held by each of the maids.

"Umm the blue one?"

"Excellent choice, its more regal."

Seriously Kallen was supposed to guard the Empress not give her fashion advice. Kallen then realized that the Empress probably had an ulterior motive. What it was she did not know.

After the Empress was done dressing, Kallen had to admit Milly looked very beautiful and indeed looked regal, they left the dressing room.

The Empress's secretaries were waiting for them when they got out. Again, like the maids Kallen had already been introduced to them during her training. They were five in total, three females and two males, lead by woman, a couple of years older than Kallen, named Patricia Patterson. From their brief meeting Kallen had determined her to be very intelligent and serious. She wore big round glasses, which she had a habit of pushing up her nose. She was carrying a tablet which she promptly handed to one of her assistants. They all curtsied when Milly entered the room.

"His majesty has already left." Patricia said, "My uncle arrived late last night and wanted to give his report to the Emperor in person." Her uncle was a prominent general in service of the Emperor but Kallen was unsure as to his exact role.

Milly nodded and made her way out of the suite. Kallen took her left side while Patricia fell in on Milly's right side. The rest of the secretaries followed behind them. Ben the guardsman also joined them, and the rest of the Empress's guard loosely surrounded them all as soon as they left the suite.

First, they made their way to the office Kaguya had been given. Kaguya's door was open and there was a guard, wearing the standard royal guard uniform. Kaguya was bent over a desk.

But before Kallen could enter the room Milly said politely, "Kallen please stay outside this time."

With that the Empress entered the office followed by Ben and Patricia, the door was closed behind them, while everyone stayed outside. Kallen had wanted to meet Kaguya again, they had gotten close while sharing a cell in prison and Kallen had not seen her since they had been released. But Mill had said "this time" which indicated she would be allowed in the office in the future. Kallen made peace with that.

Milly came out the office nearly an hour later, during which Kallen had gotten bored again. Kallen only caught a glimpse of Kaguya, but she could clearly make out the smile on her face, before the door was closed by the guard. Kallen was left wondering about the smile. She decided to ask Kaguya the next time she saw her.

The Empress's entourage made its way to a room behind the throne room where people came to petition the Empress. It was large and had a throne like chair, at one end of the room, on which the Empress promptly sat. Kallen took a position at her right Patricia at her left and Ben stood beside the door, while the rest of the guards stayed outside.

"Lady Jane Brightfall is already waiting outside your majesty." Patricia said.

"Were you able to find out why she had been requesting to meet me?" Milly asked.

"No, your majesty." One of the secretaries replied.

"It's fine, send her in. Kallen and Ben keep a close eye on her, we don't know her motives." Her voice had a command to it that Kallen had not previously heard, and she could not help herself and salute like Ben did.

A middle-aged lady was escorted in. She had the bearing of someone who used to be over-weight but had lost most of her weight in a short span. She was pale and her eyes had a sunken look to them. Lady Brightfall looked defeated and desperate. Just by looking at her Kallen could tell she was no threat but none the less she stayed alert.

She curtsied and with a gesture from the Empress sat in the chair in front of the Empress.

"Greetings to the Empress." Lady Brightfall said vey formally.

Milly smiled.

"Greetings to you too." Milly said cheerfully. "What can I do for you?"

Lady Brightfall looked surprised at Milly's directness. But that's how Milly was, direct.

"Your majesty, when his majesty first he placed restrictions on the nobility. My cousin... traitorous cousin former Earl Rosenkreuz tried to rebel and was defeated by the Knight of One." She paused looking at Milly as if trying to gauge her reaction. Milly's face remained neutral, however it maintained a smile.

"Go on." The Empress prompted

"My son, James, at that time was in the service of Rosenkreuz as part of his Knight training…he joined the former earl… in the rebellion" Tears suddenly stream from the woman's eyes and she began to sob uncontrollably.

"I have tried… contacted… no one seems to give me an answer…Please your majesty I know he … a traitor… please I just want to know if he… if he is still alive... please…"

Milly gestured to Patricia, who began to tap furiously at the electronic tablet she was carrying. She nodded and showed the tablet to Milly, while whispering something in her ear.

Milly nodded in response to whatever Patricia had whispered and said, "Rest assured Jane your son is alive. He is currently imprisoned at…"

Lady Brightfall suddenly lunged forward from her chair and Kallen moved on instinct and ran to stand in front of Milly, Ben pointed his weapon at the lady.

But there was no need for that as lady Brightfall was now knelling towards the Empress, well Kallen really since she was standing in front of Milly.

"Thank you… thank you" Lady Brightfall kept on repeating.

Milly made gesture which Kallen knew from her training to mean stand down. Everyone including Kallen returned to their posts.

"Please rise Jane" Milly said.

Jane did so. She was still sobbing but was now smiling.

"As I was saying, your son is alive and in prison." Milly said after Lady Brightfall's sobs subsided a bit. "I have ordered to arrange for you to visit him. You will be contacted tomorrow with more details."

Lady Brightfall restarted her sobbing again.

"Thank you… thank you… you are very kind," she knelt again. "I will tell everyone of your kindness."

Milly smiled and made a gesture and the Lady Brightfall was escorted out.

"Alice you will make the arrangements." Milly ordered one of the secretaries who too began to tap on her own tablet.

"Patricia, further look into her son. Find out what his current… political stance is." Milly said while twirling a finger in her hair. Her hair was now longer than the shoulder length she had in school. Patricia nodded typing into her tablet.

"Also find how many others are in the same situation as James, those who fought under rebellious nobles, but are not directly responsible."

"There will be a lot your majesty." Patricia said still typing on her tablet.

"Hmm… narrow them down to those who are not likely to rebel again."

Patricia nodded.

"I will talk to Lelouch and see if I can get James and some others released. Especially the relatives of those who approach me directly like Lady Brightfall did." Milly said,

"They can act as our test subjects so to speak…" Patricia said.

"Exactly, we will see how they and the people will react to their release and go from there. Because I think James and no doubt many others were just soldiers in the rebellions and not the instigators." Milly said. Patricia began to issue orders to her subordinates, organizing the Empress's orders.

"Hopefully I can get Lelouch to agree to this…" Milly said after a while still twirling her hair. She smiled. Held out a hand and one of the secretaries handed her a tablet as well.

"Ugh… I see Lady Cranedall is next." Milly said after a while. "I hate her."

Kallen could not help asking "Why?"

Milly looked at her and said, "She has been subtly and not so subtly hinting that Lelouch should marry of Nunnally, preferably to her arrogant fool son, who is over twenty years older than Nunnally I should add."

"Seriously?"

"Yes, and the worst part is she seems to apply that since Nunnally can't walk she is a burden to Lelouch, and he would be glad to be rid of her."

Kallen had to scoff at that. Lelouch get rid of Nunnally, unconceivable. "What do you tell her?"

"Nothing, since she has not directly stated what she wants so I play the dumb girl she believes I am. She is lucky that I don't tell half of what she implies about Nunnally. No telling what he'll do to her then."

Kallen could only nod at the last bit.

A short while later Lady Cranedall was admitted in. She was tall, had a forced smile on her face and practically oozed arrogance. Kallen immediately joined Milly in hating her.

She curtsied and began with the praise of the Emperor and slowly directed the conversation to the topic of Nunnally. However, before she could get into details Patricia reminded Milly that she had a lunch appointed. Lady Cranedall was promptly dismissed and the Empress's entourage left for the Empress's lunch appointment.

They made their way to a third-floor balcony overlooking a small lake or a large pond. A long table was set.

Instead of sitting Milly went to the balcony railing. Kallen joined her.

On the other side of the pond/lake sitting on stairs that led into the water was the Emperor himself. Next to him a short distance away lying on grass was Suzaku. On the other side of the Emperor was a pretty girl Kallen identified as Princess Marrybell. The three looked to be relaxing and talking, they were far away enough that Kallen could not make out what they were saying and standing behind them a short distance was the Orange Knight. Standing even further away were the royal guards.

Lelouch looked up caught sight of them looking at him. He smiled and waved. At first Kallen thought he was waving at her, she almost waved back. But then she realized that Lelouch's gaze was set on Milly, who in turn waved back and smiled. The dreaded feeling in Kallen's stomach returned.

The royal couple broke their gazes when Suzaku said something to Lelouch.

"Your majesty?" Patricia said.

"Yes?"

"Just got a message, _she_ is on her way up."

Milly nodded and they all stood to wait for Suzaku's lady. "Whoever she is" Kallen thought.

 **A/N**

 **That's it for this chapter. Next chapter we meet Suzaku's lady. Fair warning, she is an OC. I did sort of mention her in chapter 3 I think.**

 **Her exitance is important to the next arc I have planned for this story. So far I have made all the OC's to be replaceable and ignorable. Depending how well Suzaku's lady is received by you all I will modify her importance. If she is well liked enough, I might give her important role. If not, I will push her to the background.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N**

 **First of thank you all for the reviews, follows and favorites. They motivate me to keep on writing.**

 **I kept the appearance of Mari (The OC Suzaku's lady) short. Depending on her reception by you guys I can modify her role for the story I have planned.**

 **Also, out of curiosity what do you guys think of Marrybell and Suzaku as a couple?**

 **Is anyone interested in being a beta reader for me? If so PM me. I defiantly need one.**

 **Enjoy the story and please leave a review**

 **Disclaimer: Code Geass and its characters Do Not belong to me.**

 **Chapter 8**

A Japanese looking woman about Kallen's height and age entered. She had long light brown hair that were tied in an intricate pony tail. She had light brown eyes. The woman was very pretty and looked familiar.

It was not until she curtsied and said, "Your Majesty" in a distinct accent that Kallen recognized her. She was the Lady Mari the Princess of Australia, second in line to the Australian throne after her younger brother Edward. Her mother and her father's mother had both been Japanese or of Japanese descent Kallen was not sure.

Australia had miraculously stayed neutral in the recent wars. The country had even refused Zero's invitation to join the UFN via a video call made by the Princess, saying that the country would like to maintain its neutrality. According to those present at that time, Zero was surprised at the Australians but had moved on saying that there was nothing to be done about it.

This however did not make clear exactly why the princess of Australia was _Suzaku's Lady_. Were they in a relationship? Were they engaged? Kallen did not know. She would have to find out. She decided to ask her fellow guards. Since she was the Empresses personal bodyguard, she could ask her questions disguised as her wanting to know the Mari's threat level. Or maybe she could ask Milly along with the many other questions she wanted to ask Milly.

"Hello Mari." Milly said giving her lunch guest a smile. The secretaries and Ben seemed relaxed around the princess which indicated she could be trusted around the Empress.

"You can see the _men_ from here." Milly said walking over to the railing again, "They are no doubt plotting something."

"Well we should plot something to counter their plotting." Mari replied with a smile. So she was close enough to the Empress to make jokes.

Mari the princess and Milly the Empress walked to the railing.

The Emperor and his companions were still sitting where Kallen had last seen them.

Lelouch looked up again, saw the three of them, smiled and said something to Suzaku who, even from this distance Kallen could tell, started blushing, while the Orange Knight and the Princess Marrybell laughed.

"I wonder he said to get that reaction from Suzaku" Mari said. "He is usually very stoic about things."

Milly laughed "He no doubt made a comment about…" she leaned in and whispered the rest into Mari's ear who promptly blushed.

Kallen noted that apparently both the members of the royal couple knew how to make people blush. The feeling she _definitely_ did _not_ have returned.

Milly waved to the party below and sat down on the head chair. The princess of Australia did the same and sat on the Empresses left.

While they were eating lunch, Mari asked.

"So, have you told him?"

Milly sighed, and for the first time since Kallen had known her seemed a bit frustrated.

"No."

"Why not? You know he fill figure it out eventually."

Kallen had to assume the " _he"_ they were talking about was Lelouch.

"I know, I know. I just don't know how he will … React." The princess signed at that.

So, the Princess Mari and the Empress were close enough that Milly was telling her secrets.

"Anyway, let's talk about something else."

After that the Empress and her guest continued to eat. While they ate, they talked about court gossip, about the exploits of princess younger brother. Her next trip to Australia, Kallen found out that the princess was also the official ambassador of Australia. All in all, it turned out to be lunch between friends who were catching up. The guards, including Kallen, and the secretaries ate their lunch in shifts.

After lunch the princess excused herself, and left Milly with a hug.

LBLBLBLBLB

"Milly can I ask you a question?" Kaleen asked.

Milly was going over her tablet. She had recently just ended a video call with a retired renowned general's wife who lived in a small village somewhere in southern France.

The general and his family had been living there since the general's retirement, which was about five years. However, a group of local resistance _fighters_ had taken refuge in the village. The wife was thanking Milly for her help in removing them. Kallen had felt there had been more to the story but could not figure it out by just the one conversation.

Although Kallen did not know what to expect, because she had never even imagined such a scenario, so far Kallen had to admit she was impressed by Milly as an Empress. Though it still would not surprise Kallen if Milly decided to throw a crossdressing ball…

Milly looked up from the tablet on which she was apparently a report of some kind, smirked and said, "Just one question?"

"Ah… no defiantly more than one."

"You may," Milly said in an exaugurated arrogant fashion which brought a smile on Kallen's face. It had been while since she had last smiled. The last time Kallen had smiled had probably been in her prison cell when Kaguya had something funny, the girl was surprisingly witty and had a sharp tongue.

"Though I might not answer them." Milly added.

Kallen thought that was fair and decided to ask about something small first.

"Why was the generals wife asking _you_ for help. Would it not have been more practical for the general to ask the military or the Emperor himself _._ "

"You are right it would have been, but she knows that Lelouch knows that the general himself was the one to offer refuge to the terrorists in the first place. So, his wife contacted me asking me for help." Milly explained.

"But why you. Would you not just…" Kallen attempted to ask but Milly interrupted her by saying "Next question."

Kallen sighed, Milly had said she would not necessarily answer every question. So, Kallen moved on to the next question and asked. "Princess Mari…why did you call her _Suzaku's lady?_ "

Milly let out a small laugh "Believe it or not Lelouch was the one who first called her _Suzaku's lady._ There is a funny story behind him calling her that and after thatit just sort of got stuck as an unofficial title for her."

"Yes _,_ but why call her that? Are they… together?" Kallen asked, recalling Suzaku's reaction at seeing Mari on the balcony and at the same time trying to imagine Lelouch give someone a title like that.

"Unofficially the rumors are they are bothered. And the rumors are being encouraged." Milly said not explaining further.

"And officially?" Kallen asked wondering why the rumors would be encouraged.

"Next question." Though Milly still had a genuine smile on her face her tone indicated Kallen should drop the subject now.

"Umm where is Rivalz? Kallen asked. "You mentioned he was training for something on the day you released us."

"He is training to become a Knight." Milly said.

"Seriously, Rivalz. a Knight?" Kallen asked.

"Yes, Lelouch thinks and I agree with him that Rivalz was feeling left out and feels like he has to achieve something. Right now, he is with the Glinda Knights, training under Marrybell's people. He promised me and Lelouch he would do his best to become a Knight of the Round. Marrybell tell us is actually quite good at operating a Knightmare. Not at yours or Suzaku's level, but defiantly above average. If he works hard enough and make a name of himself, who knows he might actually become a Knight of the Round." Milly said smiling.

Kallen thought it was a big and hard dream to achieve but Rivalz was a genuine nice person and Kallen wished him the best. Though she could not help herself and in a teasing tone asked, "Isn't he still in love with you."

Milly glared at her though Kallen could tell there was not heat in it and with a smile Milly said, "Next Question."

Kallen decided since Milly was in an answering mood to ask some of the big questions she had.

"Is everyone here under Lelouch's Geass?" Kallen asked bluntly.

Milly tensed, made a quick gesture with her hand and all the guards and secretaries moved away. Close enough to pay attention to the Empress but far away as to not eavesdrop.

Milly looked at her, and in that look, she managed to convey a seriousness and a threat that Kallen had not thought she would ever receive from Milly.

"This is the only time I will ever talk about Geass, after this if you mention it to me, I will pretend to have no idea what you are talking about. Understand?"

Kallen nodded.

"Many are some are not. I will not point out who are and who are not. Besides can you honestly tell the difference?"

Honestly Kallen had not been able to and it had been eating at her. The guards and the maid all acted naturally she had no way to confirm.*. The guards still acted as she would expect guards and soldiers to act on their off time in the barracks. Playing cards, telling stories and complaining about their superior officers.

"Did he use his Geass on you?"

Milly looked at her and simply said "Yes."

Kallen had not honestly expected a yes. "What? Do you know what he ordered you to do? Did he order you to marry him?... I can't believe he would go this…" Her tirade was cut off by Milly's laughter.

"Order me to marry him. In fact, he was… never mind. To answer your first question yes, I know what he ordered me to do. In fact, I told him to use it on me."

Kallen was confused.

"How do you know and why would you ask him to do that?" Kallen asked thoroughly baffled.

"Do you what the limitations of his Geass are?" Milly asked.

"I know he can only use it on a person once. There are others but I am not sure…" Kallen said, she had seen Lelouch use his Geass, but he had never really explained it to her much and C.C had been no help at all.

"The rest do not matter right now. You are right he can only use it on a person once. So, think about it."

Kallen thought about it. She was still confused. Milly sighed.

"Imagine the scenario, he has taken off his lenses, and looks at me and accidently gives me an order. What do you think will happen? And the odds of this happening are very high considering I sleep with him," the unnamed nonexistent feeling returned, "wake up with him next to him and generally spend quite a bit of time with him." Milly said.

Kallen thought about it and the answer came to her.

"You would be forced to obey. So, he used it on you once…" It made sense.

"Exactly, if he has already used his Geass on me it would not matter, and he can relax around me and not have to worry about it. So, I told him to use it one me, he did. He used his Geass on me and ordered me to give him the pen I was holding at time." Milly explained holding up a regular looking pen, "He gave the pen back to me by the way."

Kallen nodded. And opened her mouth but before she could say something Milly said,

"Again, that was the last time we will talk about Geass. Like I said before from now on I do not know what Geass is and neither do you, unless I, Lelouch or Suzaku bring it up you will talk to no one else about it even if you know that person knows about Geass. Understand?" Milly said seriously. Kallen thought this was the most serious she had ever seen Milly.

"Yes, I understand" to make it clear Kallen would not speak about Geass again she saluted and added "Your majesty."

Milly smiled and losing her seriousness asked, "Next question."

"Why did you release me from prison?" This had been a question she had wanted answered since the day she had been released. Milly's reason of needing a personal body guard while plausible was most likely not the only reason. She did not ask if Lelouch had told Milly to release Kallen. Kallen was not sure how she would react to the answer to that question

"I told you I needed a personal body guard." Milly said with a mischievous twinkle in her eye that was very reminiscent of her school days.

Kallen scoffed. "You have a small army of guards. It would not have been a popular decision. I mean I did fight against Lelouch. I understand releasing Kaguya, she is very useful and intelligent and will excel in the role you have assigned her, but why me, were you releasing just Kaguya and thought it would be a good opportunity to get me released as well?"

Milly laughed, "Try the opposite."

"What do you mean?"

"You were the one I wanted to release first. Kaguya was more of an opportunity I could not pass up." Milly said grinning.

Kallen was surprised.

"It still does not answer my question, in fact it increases my confusion."

Milly sighed and said, "Because of Lelouch."

"What?" Of all the answers Kallen had been expecting this was not one of them. "What do you mean?"

Milly was quite for a time and looked as if she was organizing her thoughts.

"I do not know how to explain it very well. I just got that the feeling it would lower the burden of guilt he had on himself. I knew you mean a lot to him. You were one of the most loyal followers he had. You never betrayed him like the rest… you were willing to protect him. You were willing to join him right up till the moment he became the enemy of the world. I even know about the kiss." Milly said. Despite the situation Kallen knew felt herself blushing.

"I know that you would have joined him had he asked, and he knows that. He was trying to protect you. He could not let himself let you become the enemy of the world like he did." Milly paused and looked lost in thought for a while. Then with a shake of her head she continued.

"He would get this aggrieved look on his face whenever you were mentioned. He did not know what to do. You were in prison, in a daze and by all accounts lost, and he could not just release you, so I released you for him. Gave him the weak excuse of you being my bodyguard and he accepted my weak excuse know it was not the whole reason and not asking for the whole reason. To be honest it was harder to convince Suzaku. But I reminded him about a request he made of me and told him it would aid in that request and he agreed. Before you ask no I am not going to tell you the request."

Kallen did not know what to make of this explanation.

"So, you released me because Lelouch did not want me in prison."

"Yes."

"So, you did it for Lelouch"

"Mostly yes, but it also gave me a chance to help out a friend." Kallen did not know how to feel. Did that mean Lelouch …

"Okay we have time for one last question." Milly said getting up. "Let's walk and talk. I need to go back to our suite. I have to change clothes and get ready for my date."

Milly's last statement brought a question out of Kallen and before she could stop herself, she asked Milly.

"Do you… love him… and does he love you?"

 **A/N:**

 **That's it for this chapter.**

 **Next chapter the date.**

 *** I know in the anime those under Lelouch's Geass have red rings around the irises. I believe that the ring is only for the viewers to distingue those under his Geass. Correct me if I am wrong.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you all for the reviews, follows and favorites. They motivate me to keep on writing.**

 **My responses to a couple of reviews at the end of the chapter.**

 **Random fact, Gino once fell in love with an Eleven maid (according to the wiki)**

 **Enjoy the story and please leave a review**

 **Disclaimer: Code Geass and its characters Do Not belong to me.**

 **Chapter 9**

Kallen had wondered at the question, along with all the others, ever since Milly had told her that she and Lelouch were married but she had no absolutely intention of asking it. It had just sort of slipped out.

Milly stared at her intently with narrowed eyes, not a hostile gaze, just as if she was deep in thought before turning and asking with a complete blank look on her face,

"Jealous?"

"Wh… wha… what?..." Kallen spluttered. Kallen was not jealous, she was not, "Why would I be?" Kallen could feel herself turn red. She took deep breaths to calm herself down.

Milly looked at her shrewdly as if she had doubts about Kallen's statement.

"Then ask me again later and I might answer you." Milly said.

Kallen had nothing to say to that.

With that they made their way back to the royal suite. Milly dismissed her secretaries for the day.

The maids were waiting for Milly and told her that the Emperor had requested that she wear casual clothes.

Milly did so, though even her casual light blue clothes, were still pretty and a made of nice quality material, perks of being an empress Kallen guessed.

When Milly was ready, they made their way out of royal suite and found Suzaku Kururugi the Knight of Zero himself waiting for the Empress. He greeted Milly with a smile and said with, a salute, respectfully in greeting "Your majesty."

Milly too smiled in return and asked Suzaku with a small grin playing on her face. "You are my escort again?"

"Ha, yes. But this time I was sent by him." Suzaku said as if they were sharing an inside joke. They probably were Kallen figured.

They began walking again. The rest of Milly's guards following them. Kallen noticed Suzaku had no guards for himself, which at first, she found odd but then she realized that it was _Suzaku the Knight of Zero._

"So, you know what he has planned?" Milly asked as they walked to their destination, though Kallen, and she guessed Milly, had no idea what the destination was.

"Yes. Of course. Lelouch told me when started planning the date. He had me act in his stead today in a couple of meetings while he was preparing for your date. Though he was giving me instructions through my ear piece." Suzaku said pointing at the said ear piece. "He is freakishly good at multitasking." He mumbled at the end.

"Will you tell me?" Milly asked with a cute pout on her face.

"No." Suzaku said immediately as if he was keeping a top secret but he was smiling as he said it.

Milly pouted some more. Suzaku turned away with a with a small grin, as if not to give in to the pout. Milly gave a fake exaugurated sigh.

But as Suzaku had turned his and Kallen's eyes had met.

"Oh, hello Kallen. Good to see you again." He said, as if greeting an old friend, which Kallen supposed they had been at one point. But the _Good to see you_ was baffling.

"The last time we saw each other was when we were trying to kill each other, and I beat you." Kallen said.

"You did not beat me. I won." Suzaku said though not angerly just challenging.

"No, you did not. I did." Kallen said.

"I did." They glared at each other. Suzaku was the first one to break the glare and turned to Milly again he opened his mouth as if to ask her to settle the argument but he paused at the smirk on her face and said,

"What are you planning?" He asked Milly

"Whatever do you mean?" Milly asked.

"You have that smirk on your face that you get every time something is going according to your plan."

"I get a smirk?" Milly asked smirking with her eyes sparkling.

"Yes, the same way Lelouch smiles when something goes according to his plan."

" _Does he not laugh maniacally when that happens?"_ Kallen thought she was about to voice her thoughts when Milly said changed the subject by saying,

"So, you had dinner with Mari last night?" Mari had mentioned that during lunch.

Suzaku mock glared at her at first but allowed the change in subject and at the mention of Mari Suzaku got a silly grin on his face.

"Yes. It was very pleasant and fun" He said then hesitated and continued, "Speaking of Mari what did you whisper into her ear that got her to blush when you guys were standing on the balcony." He looked like he was little afraid to know the answer.

Milly got a wide grin at that.

"About the same thing as Lelouch probably said that got you blushing." she said with a hearty laugh.

Suzaku blushed again. Milly continued laughing.

Though Milly got an apprehensive look on her face, so they continued to walk in silence.

They reached large elevator doors. The elevator was designed to fit thirty people at once.

They all went the large elevator and Suzaku pressed a button.

"The roof?" Milly asked looking at the button the Knight of Zero had pressed.

"Yes. He is waiting outside on the roof terrace." Suzaku explained not elaborating any further.

Kallen had been on the roof terrace of the palace once during her training. It was a large open space. The view from the roof was amazing. One could see the whole palace and the city of Neo Pendragon from it. She had been told by her instructor that it had been designed to hold outside balls and celebrations and during such events she would always be with the Empress at all times, regardless of her shift schedule. Unless stated otherwise by the Emperor of course.

As soon as they got outside Kallen saw the Emperor of Britannia wearing casual black clothes standing near a blanket placed on the grassed protonation of the rood, yes, the roof even had a grassed portion, on which were a picnic basket and fancy comfortable pillows of varying sizes.

Suzaku did not get out of the elevator, his escort mission was over.

Lelouch smiled a wide genuine and fond smile when he looked at Milly.

Kallen found herself scowling. Milly walked up to Lelouch and gave him a kiss on the lips.

Kallen felt her scowl deepen.

"So, our mysterious date is a picnic." Milly inquired gesturing at the picnic basket and blanket.

"Yes." Lelouch said frowning a little as if he thought Milly was disappointed. His frown disappeared when he looked at Milly's smiling face.

"Did you make the stuff in the basket yourself?" Milly asked.

"Yes, Of course. You did say you liked my cooking?" He said. Milly smiled, as if in agreement with his statement.

"But why on the roof?" Milly asked. Kallen had been wondering the same thing, surely by the lake pond thing would have been better.

"So that we can watch the full moon rise." Lelouch said simply.

 _Huh._ Kallen was confused.

Milly gasped and got silent and then said with awe on her face

"You… remembered" Milly asked as if in a daze.

"Yes." Lelouch said simply as if it should have been obvious, sometimes he seemed to forget that most people did not have a memory as impressive as him.

"But that was years ago." Milly said.

"Yes. I believe it was a game of truth or dare you forced the student council to play. You picked truth and Sher... Someone asked you what your perfect date should be, and you said a picnic watching the full moon rise because no one really does… "

He never got to finish the sentence as he was interpreted by Milly kissing him again. This time far more passionately.

After they were done kissing, the royal couple made themselves comfortable on the blanket and the pillows. And began to eat sandwiches out of the basket while talking quietly. After they were done eating Milly said in a strained voice as if she was it was something that needed to be said but required a large amount of effort to do so.

"I have something very important to tell you and I did not tell you before because I was afraid."

"Afraid of what? Me? Lelouch said his voice betraying the hurt he must have fealty at his wife's words. "You know I would never purposefully hurt you."

"No… no... I am not afraid of you" Milly said reassuringly shaking her head emphatically, "I was… am afraid how you will react."

Milly made the gesture for the guards to move away and they did, Kallen included.

Kallen already had suspicions about Kallen what Milly had to tell Lelouch. She had made her guesses from the conversation Milly and Mari had earlier that day..

As soon as they did the doors to the roof terrace opened and the next shift of guards came to relive her and the rest of the squad. Before she left, she turned around and saw the royal couple facing away from her looking at the visible moon. Kallen did not know how long she stood just watching them she left when this time Lelouch interpreted whatever Milly was saying with a kiss.

Looking at the happy royal couple kiss Kallen admitted to herself that yes, she was jealous. She still had very strong feelings for the man that had been Zero

LBLBLBLBLBBLBBLBLLBB

Kallen's suspicions were confirmed the early next morning when she along with the rest of the guards were introduced to a couple of doctors who were a couple and three nurses, by a very giddy and beaming Orange Knight of One.

The Knight announced to the gathered guards that the Empress was pregnant with the heir the empire. He told them that the doctors would attending the Empress in her condition and were along with three nurses were also allowed in the presence of the royal couple without question. The names of the doctors were Amy and Harold Hoffers. Amy was a tall, woman and her entire demeanor suggested she would stand no arguments from anyone, while Harold on the other hand was short and cheerful.

During the next few days Kallen settled into the role of being the Empresses body guard. Every day she would go with Ben to the royal suite. Watch the royal couple eat breakfast. Kallen would try her best to bite down her jealousy. And then she would leave with the Empress to whatever meeting she had.

Milly would eat lunch usually with a guest. Somedays she was joined by Lelouch. One day for her lunch the Empress went to join Lelouch and Suzaku. The three ate together and did not talk of anything important, they looked like three friends eating lunch and not the ruling people of the world.

After lunch Milly would have more meetings which would usually end with Milly going back to the royal suite. Kallen's shifts would usually end at this point.

On her seventh day after the end of her shift, she had been planning to visit Kaguya as she normally did, they normally ate dinner together.

But on her way to Kaguya's room she saw a squad of heavily armed guards. The guards were escorting someone wearing white prison jumpsuit similar to the one she had worn in prison. Due to the shear absurdity of him being there it took Kallen an embarrassing moment to recognize the man as Gino. Gino's hands and feet were chained, and he was blind folded. Gino had the looks of someone who had gotten out of the losing end of a fight. He was surrounded by guards on all sides and leading the guards was the Knight of Zero himself, the sword of the Emperor, Suzaku Kururugi.

 **A/N**

 **cesar918** **:** **Yes, you did call it.**

 **Dewa1990** **:** **In the last chapter Milly did tell Kallen what Geass command Lelouch gave her. He ordered Milly to give him the pen she had been holding at that time.**

 **That's it for this chapter. A bit shorter then I would have liked but this felt like a good place to end the chapter.**

 **Next chapter Gino Weinberg the** _ **former**_ **Knight of three.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Thank you, all the reviews, favs and follows. It means a lot to mean and is what keeps me going. Sorry for not posting in a while.**

 **Please enjoy the story and please leave a review. Love to hear your thoughts and ideas.**

 **Disclaimer: Code Geass and its characters Do Not belong to me.**

 **Chapter 10**

The first thing Gino saw as the blindfold was removed from his eyes was Lelouch vi Britannia, wearing black imperial robes, smirking down at him from his throne.

The next thing he saw was red as he lurched forward intending to strangle the smirking man.

The next thing he saw was all black as he felt a thud on the back of his head, and he hit the ground.

When he looked up again, he was meet with the menacing form of Jerimiah Gottwald glaring down at him. Evidently one of Gino's ever-present prison guard had hit the back of his head.

"You will not do that again." Gottwald said, his glare still present. Gottwald nodded towards Gino's guards and went back to stand on the Emperors left.

This caused Gino to look at the Emperor's other side. Suzaku Kururugi wearing his formal Knight of Zero uniform and robes was standing to the Emperors right.

Further right to the Knight of Zero sitting on a comfortable looking chair was...

"Milly Ashford?" Gino asked disbelieving the sight before him.

What was she doing here? Was she a prisoner as well?

Gino rushed forward again.

This time he was hit on the front of the head, forcing his eyes to close. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself looking up at the sharp blade protruding from Gottwald's wrist. The angry glare intensified.

He looked at Milly again only to find her surrounded by guards, with a female redhead guard standing directly in front of Milly. The female guard looked very familiar to Gino. He could not tell who she was as her face was covered by the standard face mask worn by the Britanian royal guards. Though Gino was absolutely certain that he should know who the guard was.

"You were warned. Why would be stupid again?" Gottwald asked. The angry intimidating glare almost made Gino gulp.

"Milly… she is a prisoner I was trying to set her free."

The Emperor laughed. Gino saw that even the stoic Suzaku had a small grin on his face.

Milly waved her hand and the guards around her relaxed and backed away. Including the very familiar redhead.

"I am not a prisoner Gino." She said smiling beatifically.

Gino's confusion reached a new level. The last time he had seen Milly, other than occasionally seeing her on TV, was on her graduation. Lelouch and Suzaku had been there as well, smiling as a group photo was been taken. And now here they were, ruling the world. And here Gino was strapped in prisoners' outfit, feeling more lost and stupid than usual.

"Then what are you doing here?" The guards around the throne room bristled at his tone. Why they would do so was beyond Gino's comprehension.

"I live here." Milly said with a mischievous smile on her face

Gino stared. "You live here?"

"Well obviously not here in the throne room. Though I do spend quite a bit of time here on some days." Milly said the mischievous smile still present on her face. "By living here, I mean I live in the palace."

"But… why do you live here?" Gino asked his confusion mounting to new levels.

Milly lost the mischievous aspect of smile, however she continued to smile and said, "I live here because it is my home."

Before Gino could comment on that statement. His attention was brought back to the Emperor when the Emperor started talking.

"Gino Weinberg, former Knight of Three…"

While Gino had never been physically tortured in prison, he was always called _former_ Knight of Three. And that had hurt, and Gino sometime thought more than physical torture would have. It like was losing a part of himself. Being a Knight of Three had been his life's greatest achievement and to lose it had nearly broken him.

It got to the point that some of the foreign prisoners had assumed that his name had been "Former". His cell mate and closest friend in prison, James had found it far more hilarious than Gino had.

James had been taken form their cell a few days ago and had never returned. The guards had been very tight lipped when Gino had asked them about James. Now Gino feared the worst, thinking most likely that James had been executed as they both had feared.

"Would you like to be known as a Knight loyal to Britannia? Or as a terrorist who is an enemy of Britannia?" The Emperor continued talking.

"I am loyal to Britannia!" Gino immediately shouted.

"Loyal to Britannia, yet you fought against its Emperor and killed loyal Britanian soldiers." Suzaku stated, his face a neutral mask.

That was true. He had fought against Britannia and he had killed Britanian soldiers. And it had hurt him to kill Britannia and he had felt immensely guilty afterwards, he had consoled himself with the fact that he had been trying to stop Lelouch and Suzaku. A task in which he had obviously failed. Now his consolation was gone and all he was left with was immense guilt.

James, who had also fought against Britanian soldiers, when he had fought in the doomed Rosenkreuz rebellion for which he was imprisoned, had tried to lessen Gino's guilt by saying that they had been following orders. While it was true for James, Gino had joined the Black Knights willingly. He had killed Britanian soldiers willingly, for a cause he had believed in. The cause still remained, but the Britanian soldiers did not.

"I am loyal to the Britannia, just not to its Emperor." Gino finally said. A bold statement considering where he was. The guards bristled again. This time it was Suzaku who waved his hand and the guards settled down. The same way they had done for Milly. Odd, so apparently Milly had authority over the guards just as the Knight of Zero did.

"Loyalty to the Emperor of Britannia is loyalty to Britannia." Gottwald stated. Gino was not surprised to hear him speak of loyalty to the Emperor.

"Regardless, I have an offer for you Gino Weinberg, former Knight of Three." The Emperor said, commanding silence with his words.

"Swear fealty to me. Work for me and work for Britannia." Before Gino could protest the Emperor spoke again "Or forever be known as an enemy of the innocents."

"What happens if I refuse?" Gino asked. Then a thought occurred to him and he was horrified

"Are you going to kill Milly if I refuse, is that why she is here?"

The Emperor smirked, "She just told you a few moments ago that she is here willingly."

"It's true." Milly interjected probably to reassure Gino. "I _am_ here willingly Gino. Trust me."

Oddly enough Gino believed her.

"Besides I am not going to kill my wife." The Emperor said smirking.

His what now? Lelouch and Milly were _married_. Never in a million years would he have expected this as the reason for Milly being here. Were they always together and maybe Gino had misjudged their interactions when they had been in school? Plenty of girls had fawned over Lelouch in school, perhaps this is why he had acted so aloof towards their advances. Gino looked towards Milly… The _Empress_ and she smiled and nodded as if to confirm her _husbands'_ words.

Before Gino could fully process this new information, the Emperor said something else that Gino would never have expected.

"Refuse to swear fealty and tomorrow the public will hear that you were released by my generosity."

"What?" Gino asked disbelieving. "You are going to release me?"

"Obviously not." The Emperor said in an _are-you-an-idiot_ tone of voice, "I said that the public will hear that you have been released. Meaning there will be a news article tomorrow that you have been pardoned by me and released. In reality though you will go back to your cell and probably stay there for life or until I decide to execute you."

Before Gino could say anything again the Emperor continued "Two weeks after your _release_ there will be a large explosion in the public park that will kill dozens of innocent people enjoying themselves and it will be made known that you claimed responsibility retaliation for your previous imprisonment."

With each word the Emperor spoke Gino felt more and more dread.

"Naturally many will not believe that it was you who caused the explosion." The Emperor continued. "But when there is a second explosion a couple of weeks later and a third and so on, with each explosion killing more and more people, people will start to believe that you are responsible and that acting out against the government by killing innocents. You will forever be known to the public as a terrorist."

Gino stared at the Emperor and the Emperor stared back though the Emperor had a smirk on his place that told Gino that he had just been placed in check mate.

Gino looked around. Jerimiah Gottwald was still glaring at him.

Suzaku still had his neutral expression, that expression Gino had grown used to during their days together as Knights of Rounds, some of the best days of Gino's life. This caused him to think about Anya, another friend he had not seen in months, and wonder what had happened to her.

He looked towards Milly; she too had adopted a neutral face. Oddly enough the redhaired guard was looking between Milly and the Emperor. Though she was still wearing her face mask, Gino felt like she wanted to ask something, but she stayed quiet. Perhaps if she had said something her voice would have given him a clue as to who she was because Gino still felt like he knew her form somewhere…

"You would kill hundreds of innocents just to ruin me?" Gino finally asked knowing that it was true. If anyone else had made such a claim Gino would have never believed them. But this was Lelouch vi Britannia, the demon Emperor, a title the prisoners used in whispers. Gino would not consider what the Emperor was saying a bluff. He could not afford to.

"Yes, I would." replied the Emperor, in an eerily clam voice, as if the death of hundreds meant nothing to him. It probably did not. "Also, should you refuse you would be as responsible for the deaths of hundreds as I would be."

"You are a monster. A demon." Gino said horrified.

"Yes, I am." The Emperor said calmly as if being called so was not new to him it probably was not. "So, are you a loyal knight of Britannia or a terrorist?"

In the end Gino had no choice. Since he already on his knees, he changed his posture and bent like a knight and said with as much resolve as he could.

"Loyalty to Britannia! I swear fealty to the Lelouch vi Britannia the Emperor of Britannia. His words are my command. I live and die for him. Hail Emperor Lelouch!"

The Emperor smirked and said, "I accept your fealty."

The Emperor then moved his hands over his eyes, for a moment Gino saw… something and the next moment he still kneeling before his new Emperor.

"Suzaku will assign you to your squad soon. Do not betray me, Private Gino Weinberg, former Knight of Three. It will not end well for you nor will it for many others."

Gino bit down on an angry retort and simply said "Yes, your majesty."

From a Knight of the round to a Private again serving a detested emperor. At that moment Gino vowed to himself that he would rise to a Knight of the Round again, he would regain his honor again and atone for the Britanian soldiers he had killed by serving Britannia, and much to his regret, the Britanian emperor as best as he could.

 **A/N:**

 **That's it for this chapter. Hopefully next one will be done quicker than this one was.**

 **Again, please leave a review.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Thank you, all for the reviews, favs and follows in my absence. It means a lot to mean and is what keeps me going. Sorry for not posting in a while. Been busy with life stuff.**

 **Please enjoy the story and please leave a review. Love to hear your thoughts and ideas.**

 **Someone asked in the review if Diethard was dead the answer is yes** **Diethard is dead in this like in cannon.**

 **Disclaimer: Code Geass and its characters Do Not belong to me.**

 **Chapter 11**

"Everything turns to Sand!" the assassin shouted as he took out his gun.

The assassination attempt was poorly executed, and Milly was certain it was a spur of the moment thing by the assassin. The assassin had not even been able to raise his gun before he was tackled by Kallen and then summarily captured and gaged while Milly's other guards formed a parameter around her. Ben, the squad leader for that day guard started giving out orders to find a securable building until backup arrived.

Milly had been stepping in her car after leaving the orphanage she was had been visiting when the attempt had been made.

Though the assignation attempt was foiled and was by no means the first assassination attempt on her, but it was what the assassin had shouted just before taking out his gun was what concerning to Milly.

Milly knew this would finally prompt Lelouch to actually execute his plan, a plan on which he had been working on for quite some time now.

Milly sighed.

She looked around her. The assassin was being tied up and searched for trackers and hidden weapons though Milly was certain they were unlikely to find anything. Her guards had set up a parameter around her. And Patricia was walking towards her.

Then dread washed over her. What if this was not a poorly executed plan but a wonderfully executed one. Make an attempt on her and distract everyone by focusing on her and then attack the real target, her husband.

Patricia handed he a phone and as soon as she held it to her ear, and relief flooded her she heard her husband's voice.

"Milly are you alright?" The concern in her husband's voice was heartwarming.

"I am fine Lelouch. Do you think this could be code Falk?" Lelouch went quite for a moment. Falk was code for diversionary attack that might happen. Just one of the many codes she had memorized in the months before she had married Lelouch. And still took time to go over just in case she forgot some.

"No, everything is quite here ad Jeramiah has put everything in high alert." Relief washed over her at hearing her husband's words.

Soon her guards dragged her inside the nearest securable building to provide them more cover while they waited for their Knightmare escort and a secure route to back to the palace.

Kallen stayed at her side while Ben gave ordered her other guards to spread around the building to secure look out points. Meanwhile her doctor, one accompanied her everywhere she went for the day, Amy, started prodding and checking her. She declared Milly to be well for now, but she wanted a full checkup as soon as they reached safety.

Soon she heard the tell-tale sounds of Knightmares, and her communicator rang again. It was Jerimiah.

"Your majesty." Jerimiah said. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, Jerimiah I am fine." Milly replied

She could hear Jerimiah give out commands about arranging the escort and the handling of the prisoner as the he cut of the connection.

Soon she was back inside her armored car with a Knightmare escort flying overhead led by the Knight of One himself. Her car, along with a prison van, carrying the assassin was also surrounded by land Knightmares.

"What do you think he meant by "Everything turns to Sand!?". Kallen asked her as they neared the palace.

Milly looked at her wondering how much she should disclose.

"Later." Milly said after a while. Kallen seemed satisfied with the promise of future information.

Soon she was in the safe zone, that is the imperial suite. The area where the imperial couple lived was the most secure place in the whole palace. The palace itself was built on the side of a small mountain overlooking the city of Neo-pendragon. It had been built by Lelouch's grandfather, in the last few years of his reign, as a vacation house. Lelouch had learned of the place and had decided to expand it as a crisis bunker even before seizing the throne. He had decided to expand and make the vacation house his palace after seizing the throne. The small town near the new palace had grown into one of the largest cities on the planet. The imperial suite, along with other rooms, itself was built inside the heart of the mountain. The suite was connected to the main palace via a maze of corridors leading to different areas and rooms. The maze would make it very difficult for intrudes to find anything useful. It had taken Milly embarrassingly long to actually memorize her way to the suite after her wedding. She had to rely on her gourds to escort her there or she would walk back with Lelouch. She preferred the second option. She now had the route memorized.

As soon as she entered the suite, she called home she found herself being wrapped in a hug.

She leaned against her husband.

"Are you alright" He asked again. She nodded.

He lightly placed his hand on her now obvious pregnant belly.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yes, Lelouch I am fine" She gave him her best reassuring smile.

He looked at her, gave her a once over and then returned her smile.

"The doctors are going to look over you regardless." He said.

Milly got a twinge of annoyance at that, which was quickly quashed by the concern she had heard in his voice. So, she gave him a quick kiss and sat down on the nearest empty sofa.

Milly looked around the suite to see who else was present. Her doctors were getting their various medical supplies set up. Jerimiah was giving orders to a guard while looking over his tablet, no doubt managing the threat levels as was his job. Kallen and Ben had taken her guard position at the door. Milly's other guards had gone to their posts. Her and Lelouch's various secretaries were bustling about doing their various jobs, which included getting on top of the media. They would soon need to get a statement to the press, before the story of the assassination attempt got of control. Milly was all too aware how the media worked, being a part of it not so long-ago time wise but at the same time a whole lifetime ago.

"Kallen." She heard Lelouch say.

Milly could understand the look of surprise that showed on Kallen's face. Lelouch had not talked directly to Kallen since the day Kallen had started her new position at guarding Milly. Milly was glad. She had been trying to get Lelouch to acknowledge Kallen's presence, but he had been stubbornly treating her as just another guard. Milly supposed the saving his wife's life today played a large factor in finally trusting Kallen. If only just a little.

"Yes Lel… Your Majesty?"

"Patterson just arrived. Escort him here would you?"

"Yes... err.. .Your Majesty" With a salute and a very small smile Kallen left. It was a job that normally one of the secretaries would do but they all were busy.

As soon as she left Suzaku entered.

"Are you alright?" He asked her concern evident in his voice.

Milly contained a sigh with difficulty. She was getting tired of people asking if she was alright.

"Yes, Suzaku I am fine."

"We will be the judge of the that Your Majesty." Dr. Harold said kindly as he and his wife to check her health.

This time Milly did sigh but let the doctors do as they wished. Milly closed her eyes and relaxed while the doctors prodded at different parts of her body. Today had been a long day. The day had started with morning sickness and then It had been meeting after meeting and then she had gone to visit the orphanage. Visiting the young adorable children at the crown funded orphanage always cheered her up, but her mood had soured considerably. Which should not be surprising since someone had tried to kill her and more importantly her unborn child. She wanted to go to bed, preferably with her husband present, but she had known that being Empress was not going to be easy when she had agreed to become one. She opened her eyes when she heard Suzaku talking

"…like a spur of moment thing. An agent acting on his own." Suzaku was saying.

"I agree with Sir Kururugi, Your Majesty." Jerimiah said. "Our spies claim ignorance. But it could that they themselves don't know."

Her husband and his two highest ranking Knights had commandeered the large dining table in the dining area of the suite as their command table. While the secretaries were working in the back, standing.

"We won't know until we actually interrogate the assassin." Lelouch said. "Though before that we need to get on top of the media."

"I'll handle the media." Milly said standing as soon as doctor gave the all clear, much to Lelouch's satisfaction judging by the look on his face. "You guys continue."

She joined them at the table and Patricia handed her a tablet and Milly set to work as the three most powerful men in the world decided on which questions to ask the assassin once he was under Lelouch's Geass. While under Lelouch's Geass people would always give the answers, they believed to be the truth they never gave details, so it was better to always ask as many questions as possible.

Soon Milly had a statement ready for the media. She showed it to Lelouch who glanced at it and nodded his approval. Milly handed back the tablet to Patricia who would work on releasing it to the press. Essentially, they were portraying the assassin as an everyday terrorist and who was soon going to be executed.

They heard a knock and Kallen entered with Patterson and they both saluted.

Patterson was short man in his early fifties. At first glance he looked plump but closer inspection revealed his plumpness to actually be thick muscles. He was one of the best generals in the current Britanian military. Though his true talents lay in gathering intelligence and executing missions based on said intelligence. He had proven himself to be reliable and trustworthy.

Lelouch got up to leave to interrogate the assassin. Suzaku and Jerimiah following his lead. Milly remained seated.

Lelouch kissed the top of her head as he passed her.

"Oh. Before you leave Lelouch." Milly asked looking up at her husband, "Is it correct to assume that the plan for Australia will soon be enacted?"

Lelouch paused, probably wondering why she was asking this, then said "Yes, I was planning on calling a meeting to go over the plan after Marrybell gets here tomorrow."

Milly smiled and looked at Suzaku and said "Well Suzaku I believe congratulations are in order."

"Congratulations? For what?" Suzaku asked tentatively.

"Well if the plan is going to be enacted" Milly said grinning "You are going to be officially engaged to be married to the lovely princess Mari."

Suzaku blushed and spluttered while Jerimiah and Lelouch laughed. Hearing her husband laugh made up for her long day, even if the day had included an assassination attempt.

LBLBLBLBLBLBLBLBLBLBLBLBLBLBLBLB

Gino entered the barracks his squad had been assigned. He would be meeting his new squad today. He had gone through part of basic training over the past weeks (Gino had done his best to keep up his physical exercises while he had been in prison) until sergeant in charge of training had been satisfied and Gino had then shipped off to a Britanian military base.

When he entered the barrack, he was greeted by a sight he would not have expected in a million years but had sorely missed. There standing near a bunk bed unpacking a rucksack was a tall man with black hair.

"James!" Gino exclaimed at looking at his old cell mate and dear friend from prison.

"Gino!?" James responded.

"How…?" they both said together and then wrapped each other in a hug.

After letting each other go. They both told their tales. Gino went first telling James how exactly he had been _recruited_ by the Emperor. Though Gino only was careful not to bad mouth the demon emperor even in front of James considering where they were. Also, despite James being Gino's closest friend he was not sure about James's loyalties.

"So what about you? How did you get here?" Gino asked James. "I thought they had taken you for execution!"

"I thought the same when the guards took me out of the cell that day." James explained. "Instead they took me to the visiting area where I met my mother. She told me that she went to the Empress to find out if I was alive or not. Instead the Empress arranged for my release. Though I was told I had to continue my military service for some time."

"Sorry." Gino said.

"Hey, I am not complaining. I am not in prison anymore and I am very grateful to the empress. And I will be able to visit my family."

They continued to talk while the other members of their squad came in and introduction were made. All in all, Gino was having a good time bonding with his fellow soldier's when he heard a sharp "Attention!"

And the whole squad went to attention position. The squad leader had entered the tent.

Gino's mouth fell open when he realized who the squad leader was.

"Rivalz!" Gino exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"That's sergeant Rivalz Cardemonde to you private Weinberg" Rivalz said in a tone of command Gino had never heard from the former jovial member of the student council of Ashford academy. Though Gino did notice Rivalz had a small smile on his face.

"Apologies sergeant Cardemonde. I was just surprised to see you here sir" Gino said

"Apology accepted since you just saved me from introducing myself." Gino said in a stern tone. "I am here to announce where we are going to be deployed."

"Where is that sir?" James asked.

"Australia." Gino said, "The Knight of Zero is getting married."

Boy this day just kept on giving surprises.

 **A/N:**

 **That's it for this chapter.**

 **Again, please leave a review they help me improve.**


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